Alzheimer’s Iron
Fading Memories Made Into Eternal Artworks
At
Alfred University the Golden Years Club and the Foundry Guild
are working together to make the Alzheimer’s Iron Project possible.
Alzheimer’s Iron is a multi-step, cross-generational art project that
will benefit the Alzheimer’s Association. The project is made up of four
steps: production of artwork by elderly community
members, interpretation of these works and rendered sculptures by iron
castors, gallery shows and an auction featuring the artwork. We aim to
spread of knowledge about Alzheimer’s Disease. The project is currently
being advised by Dr. Robert Maiden, Dr. Danielle
Gagne, and Coral Lambert.
The
first step of the project involves the
Golden Years Club (a community service based gerontology club)
facilitating the making of artwork in nursing homes and assisted living
communities in Allegheny and Steuben Counties. Each two hour session
allows residents one-on-one interaction with our trained
club members. Elderly artists create paintings from red iron oxide and
black ink and white paint. Research has shown that “the human brain
supports-perhaps thrives on-creative activity and certain types of
creative challenges." Such activities "may foster repair
and growth of brain structures and their attendants behaviors.”
A
handful of elders that participate in the
painting session will also have an alginate mold (this is a mold making
material that captures extraordinarily small detail) taken of their
hands. The hands will be cast in Iron and duplicated, one will be given
as a memento to the elders’ families and the
other sold for fundraising purposes.
The
paintings made are given to students at
The National Casting Center Foundry at Alfred University to create
sculptures in response or homage to the elder’s artwork. The artist
involved is provided with information about Alzheimer’s disease and it’s
affects on the elderly individual and their families.
After
the students has sculpted their art out
of wax or non drying clay, they rally together to perform a cupola iron
pour (an ancient art form which melts iron in a furnace). The community
and families of the elderly involved in the Alzheimer’s Iron project are
encouraged to come watch the pour and meet
all of the wonderful cast iron artists involved.
All paintings and sculptures will be shown
together. The
cast iron sculptures will be sold in a silent auction with all proceeds
being donated to the Alzheimer’s Association. The show and
auction will be held in one of the Alfred University galleries or,
possibly, in creative art centers in Wellsville or Hornell, New York.
Nine
sculptures were cast in Iron for the first
chapter of the Alzheimer’s Iron project on February 23rd. The pour was
incredibly successful and beautiful molten iron flowed from Coral
Lamberts magical furnace "Mothra"! Five students ( Elise Betrus, Katie
Fortier, Autumn Newcomb, Haley Jelinek and Tim Pauszek)
learned to cast Iron for the first time and over 20 Alfred University
students made the pour happen.
On April 26tha
new round of students will pour their first cast iron sculptures at
Binghamton’s Annual Iron Pour. In addition, students who have cast metal
experience will be casting additional pieces for the Alzheimer’s Iron
Project.
Alfred
University Foundry students Sarah May,
Becca Flis, Katie Fortier and Rosemarie Oakman are going to the National
Conference on Cast Iron Arts at the historic Sloss Furnaces in
Birmingham Alabama from April 10th-13th
to present their sculptures in a student exhibit, promote the project
and pour more cast iron artworks for the Alzheimer’s Iron Project.
the summer students wish to continue work on the Alzheimer’s
Iron Project at Salem Art Works as well as at the National Casting Center Foundry at Alfred University.
Halloween
weekend of fall 2013 will be the
next annual Meltdown Pour. The Alzheimer’s Iron project will be
represented with a large display. We also plan to have a representative
from the Alzheimer’s Association on hand to answer questions and offer
support.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW: SATURDAY OCTOBER 26, 2013 - FOOD, FIRE, MUSIC & MOLTEN METAL!
If you, a friend or loved one is living with Alzheimer's and would like to participate in our project please call Rose
at 845-705-7499.
If
you would like to support us with a donation or if you have scrap iron
you can contribute to our project, please phone
the number above. We will happily arrange to collect the iron from
your property (or feel free to drop it off at the National Casting
Center Foundry at Alfred University).
To learn more about Alzheimer's visit the Alzheimer's Association website at http://www.alz.org/
For updates, photos, videos and to learn more about the Alzheimer’s Iron project please check out our blog@Alzheimeriron.blogspot.com
