Using Creativity to Help Alzheimer Cause

Fun, creative and an easy-to-participate way to experience the therapeutic wonders found in making art are but a few of the benefits to be derived from a series of workshops underway in Collier County. But at their heart is the goal of building awareness and raising funds to benefit The Alzheimer's Association and its annual The Longest Day event, which is set for June 21, this year’s summer solstice. 

The nonprofit is dedicated to supporting Alzheimer's disease research and providing education and support to those who face dementia daily. The Longest Day sees participants, worldwide, come together to fight the progressive, neurologic disorder through an activity of their choice. 

With that option in mind, Tammy DeCaro, Executive Director at the Barrington Terrace of Naples Assisted Living and Memory Care community, created a new, local event for this year’s Longest Day, the Art4Alz Fluid Art Paint Pouring Workshops. 

At these Art4Alz events, participants take part in “paint pouring,” or “fluid art,” said DeCaro, herself an acrylic fluid artist and the owner of Tammy DeCaro Art, in Naples. The workshops are being held throughout Southwest Florida, including one scheduled for April 7 at Mackle Park. 

“It is the process of taking acrylic paint and making it more fluid with different additives, and literally pouring the paint, using different techniques,” said DeCaro in describing the process. “There are probably 50 different styles of fluid art using this particular type of paint mixture. Depending on the density of the paint, the style that you use, you get different results. It’s a fascinating style of art that’s become extremely popular over the past few years.” 

The general public is invited to attend the DeCaro-led workshops, where she teaches participants how to create masterpieces they can display at home. Over the course of two hours participants paint two canvases of between eight-by-eight inches and 16-by-20 inches. The first painting utilizes The Longest Day color combination of purple and teal, while participants get to choose the colors used on their second canvas. 

Supplies are provided and the only thing participants have to do is wear clothes that can get messy and bring a box or tray to take their artwork home. Tickets for the workshops are $55 per person, with $50 of the fee going to The Longest Day fundraiser.

Art4Alz is sponsored by Barrington Terrace Naples, VITAS Healthcare, Tammy DeCaro Art and DecoArt, which is supplying all the paints for the workshops. 

DeCaro, a certified trainer for Alzheimer’s and dementia education, said Art4Alz has two overarching goals, aside from benefitting The Longest Day. One is to raise awareness of how art can benefit the mind, body and soul, whether someone has dementia or not.

“It taps into the right side of the brain and the right side of the brain is typically your creative side,” she explained. “The second purpose is to show how beneficial art is for folks who have an impairment of some kind, whether cognitive, which is the world I work in; seniors who have dementia or Alzheimer’s, or people who have COVID-post-traumatic stress or kids who are going through a traumatic experience.”

“Art therapy is an incredible resource,” added DeCaro, citing the valuable work performed by certified art therapy professionals. “There is a tremendous movement of people in the additional-needs community, who have children or adults with developmental disabilities or other additional needs of some kind, who have difficulties expressing thoughts and feelings and use art to do that. When you tap into that right side of the brain you don’t have to talk. You can express everything on the canvas and it can be very healing.” 

She said making art can also be a source of relaxation, so she spends part of the workshops dispensing information on how people can indulge in paint pouring at home. “There are lots of YouTube tutorial videos,” added DeCaro. “Even if people only do it as a self-care aspect of providing stress relief, it’s immensely beneficial to them.” 

Barrington Terrace of Naples has always taken part in The Alzheimer’s Association’s annual walk fundraisers during her seven years there, said DeCaro. But this year, the decision was made to take part in The Longest Day campaign and highlight art’s impact not just on those with a cognitive impairment, but everyone. 

“I think the purpose in our changing from supporting the walk to The Longest Day was that we could make our fundraising event unique and different by pulling art into the campaign,” she added. “So, it’s our first year, but certainly not our last. We’ve really enjoyed doing this and we’re already thinking of things we can do for next year.”

At present, Art4Alz sessions are being held only in Collier County, but DeCaro is working to arrange workshops in the Estero area, in southern Lee County. She hopes the future will see the program spread across Florida. 

The Art4ALZ: Fluid Art Paint Pouring workshop at Mackle Park starts at 5:00 PM on April 7. To learn more about Art4Alz and to register for upcoming sessions, visit eventbrite.com/cc/art4alz-fluid-art-paint-pouring-workshops-naples-177369. If interested in hosting a session, contact Tammy DeCaro at 239-775-5050 or tammy.decaro@arborcompany.com. Mackle Park is located at 1361 Andalusia Terrace on Marco Island.