Week 1 The first week of the Alzheimer’s program focused on introductions to one another and to the Pulitzer.

Week 2.Week 2 initiated our exploration of the art. To begin, Carol led a seated movement exercise that incorporated both gesture and music to warm up bodies and minds for the discussion of Old Masters. The first piece discussed was Joachim Wtewael’s Cephalus and Procris (The Death of Procris). JoAnn led a discussion on content, composition, and lines. The group participated in series of activities about the art, including “thought bubbles” and “heart bubbles” to imagine what Cephalus and Procris were thinking and feeling. JoAnn and I also acted out the scene in order to have a 3-D visual of the painting. The group also used a storyboard to understand sequential storytelling and the peak dramatic moment. The second painting discussed was Jean Baptiste Grouse’s The Laundress. JoAnn led the discussion of the content and composition, and also a dialogue about the depiction of women today versus women from the time of the Laundress. The group looked at modern magazine ads of women and compared them to the painting. Carol also reenacted the painting using a bar of soap and a bowl.
The group prepared for their meeting with Cole Elementary in 2 weeks by having their pictures taken and creating a mini bio of themselves to send to the Cole students. For the bios, participants answered these questions: What is your favorite food? What is your favorite color? What is your favorite place at home? What makes you laugh?

Week 3. The participants spent the first few minutes talking with Johnathan Loesch, the Cole Elementary School art teacher. Third, Fouth, and Fifth-graders from Cole will be coming in week 4 to join the adults with Alzheimer’s; each child will be paired with an adult “buddy.” We gave the adults pictures of the children, mini bios the children wrote about themselves, and a drawing that the children had created especially for their new buddy.

The first painting we discussed was Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife by Paolo Domenico. We discussed the content and composition of the painting, and then used the “thought bubbles” and “heart bubbles” to analyze what the subjects were thinking and feeling. Carol passed around a bag of fabrics to generate discussion about the various textures in the painting. We then discussed countenance and facial expression in the paintings by looking at a pair of Grecian masks and also looking at cartoon faces of expressions. We also acted out the painting to have a 3-D example of the art.

The other painting discussed was the Mary Magdalene by Andrea Vaccaro. JoAnn led the discussion about content and composition, and then we used the thought and heart bubbles to analyze the emotion of the painting.