Memory Cafe (YMCA) Pointillism

 

 I was invited as a storyteller for the Basking Ridge YMCA "Memory Cafe"  - a place of respite for adults with dementia & their caregivers. 

Talked about how sometimes we are afraid to create art, until somebody shows they have confidence in us.

Read The Dot by Peter Reynolds

Then talked about the Neo-Impressionist art movement "Pointellism" 
Asked who had taken kids/grandkids to an art museum

Said about to read about an art museum visit that turns into a fantasy as the people climb in and out of the paintings! 

Read Katie's Sunday Afternoon by James Mayhew while projecting slides of the works mentioned so everyone could see them in more detail

Afterwards, participants created their own pointillist artworks - supplies: Qtips, washable tempera paint, plastic palettes, cardstock paper (with pre-printed outlines & samples for this group)

More Ideas here

Memory Cafe 11/26/25

Memory Cafe (YMCA) - Apples

 I was invited as a storyteller for the Basking Ridge YMCA "Memory Cafe"  - a place of respite for adults with dementia & their caregivers. 

Opened by discussion of the embellishment of the story of Johnny Appleseed - mentioned that he was a real person (John Chapman) but that apples don't grow true from seeds - you don't get the same variety, sweetness etc. - instead they grow from grafting a branch of a tree that produces tasty apples. Johnny Appleseed's seed trees were used for hard cider - alcoholic drinks were drunk by all ages because water and milk were unsafe -- might contain disease producing organisms.  Read: Johnny Appleseed by Reeve Lindbergh, illustrated with the folk-art styled paintings by Kathy Jacobson. 

Followed with the rollicking "tall tale" Apples to Oregon: Being the (Slightly) True Narrative of How a Brave Pioneer Father Brought Apples, Peaches, Pears, Plums, Grapes and Cherries (and Children) Across the Plains by Deborah Hopkinson.  

Crafts: 

https://www.thrive.org.uk/get-gardening/simple-homemade-apple-bird-feeder#

Mentioned the book Night Tree by Eve Bunting - every Christmas Eve, a family decorates a tree in the woods with edible items for the wildlife there.

9/25/24

Memory Cafe (YMCA) - Changemakers/Black History Month

I was invited as a storyteller for the Basking Ridge YMCA "Memory Cafe"  - a place of respite for adults with dementia & their caregivers. 

Read Sit In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down by Andrea Davis Pinkney  323.1196 PIN – Splendid writing filled with food metaphors telling the story of the  4 college students who inspired a movement with their patient wait at a Woolworth’s lunch counter for their order of “doughnuts & coffee & cream on the side.

Followed with us all singing together this beautifully-illustrated and affirming book - a good song for young and old to have in our hearts and minds for tough days... 

Book/Song: This Little Light of Mine illustrated by E.B. Lewis

Also talked about possible handprint art project - showed how they could trace a grandchild's hands on a piece of  of plain paper and have them decorate it - possibly including a note of something/someone that they are thankful or grateful for in the center heart section - great for Valentine's Day or Thanksgiving or really, any time...