Diana Bullock
Art for Communication
I have volunteered at the York-Durham Aphasia Centre for over 20 years. Aphasia is a communication disorder that occurs after a stroke, brain injury or brain illness. It affects a person's ability to speak but not their intelligence. Imagine all of a sudden not being able to ask for a glass of water or to say I love you. This is what people with Aphasia face every day.
Aphasia is equated with being dropped into a country and not being able to speak the language. How would you get your message across? Well you would gesture, draw pictures, use any other means to communicate. At the Centre we encourage clients to develop all their communication skills. Drawing is one of those alternates.
Each year we produce cards from the clients' work as a fund raiser. These "Cheery Notes" will be on sale soon so check back.
There are many different reasons that art is part of the Aphasia Centre. It is not a crafts program, lessons, or therapy. Craft projects do not tap into brain exercises, we are not giving art lessons, and are not equipped to analyze and interpret art.
Some of the reasons we use art.
· The program is an adult activity that involves CHOICE. This choice can be as simple as what colour of paint to use, and where to put the paint on the paper.
· Watercolours are primarily used because they are affordable and spectacular results can be achieved by allowing the paint to work.
· Non-verbal communication
· Helps fine motor skills and sequencing of events (dipping the brush in water, in paint, then to the paper).
· Exercising the right side of the brain, perhaps creating new pathways. Art stimulates the non-dominant right side. (Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, Betty Edwards 1979)
· Communication and interaction between clients before, during, and after painting.
This is a fun activity, in a safe environment stressing the process not product.Success should always be measured by the comfort of the clients to try every aspect of the art program. These are very brave individuals. It is very intimidating for even very successful artists to have someone watch him or her paint.
The program I have developed is designed to develop confidence drawing. We follow a series of brain exercises including drawing upside down to tap into the right brain. The results are truly amazing!
for more details please contact Diana Bullock
Aphasia is equated with being dropped into a country and not being able to speak the language. How would you get your message across? Well you would gesture, draw pictures, use any other means to communicate. At the Centre we encourage clients to develop all their communication skills. Drawing is one of those alternates.
Each year we produce cards from the clients' work as a fund raiser. These "Cheery Notes" will be on sale soon so check back.
There are many different reasons that art is part of the Aphasia Centre. It is not a crafts program, lessons, or therapy. Craft projects do not tap into brain exercises, we are not giving art lessons, and are not equipped to analyze and interpret art.
Some of the reasons we use art.
· The program is an adult activity that involves CHOICE. This choice can be as simple as what colour of paint to use, and where to put the paint on the paper.
· Watercolours are primarily used because they are affordable and spectacular results can be achieved by allowing the paint to work.
· Non-verbal communication
· Helps fine motor skills and sequencing of events (dipping the brush in water, in paint, then to the paper).
· Exercising the right side of the brain, perhaps creating new pathways. Art stimulates the non-dominant right side. (Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, Betty Edwards 1979)
· Communication and interaction between clients before, during, and after painting.
This is a fun activity, in a safe environment stressing the process not product.Success should always be measured by the comfort of the clients to try every aspect of the art program. These are very brave individuals. It is very intimidating for even very successful artists to have someone watch him or her paint.
The program I have developed is designed to develop confidence drawing. We follow a series of brain exercises including drawing upside down to tap into the right brain. The results are truly amazing!
for more details please contact Diana Bullock
