Thank you to the good folks at Cell Signaling Technologies for hosting me this week to present my lecture “Just what do artists and scientists have in common anyway?” As I mentioned during my talk, living with art plays a vital role in helping us with memory recall, something cognitive psychologist and researchers have noted for years. This is why Alzheimer patients benefit from looking at art that triggers memory.
Recently, I hosted a paper making workshop in my studio. A participant shared with me that years ago she had purchased a painting of mine of Truro (a beach community on Cape Cod) that became a focal point of her home. As her father aged, he developed Alzheimer’s. His memory was all but lost except when he looked at the painting. She told me “You have no idea how grateful we are for that painting. “Dad could sit in front of it and remember his summers on the cape.”
I shared this story with the CST audience, who as scientific researchers no doubt found this information helpful, if they were not aware of it beforehand.
Art is many things to all of us, and as we age, it brings back memories of times well spent. The power of art is unending. Do you have a story of how living with art has made a difference in your life? Please share it with me and I’ll add you to my next lecture topic.
In the meantime, I’ve attached my slides from the lecture should you want to follow my lecture notes.
