Meet our artists

Please add your name to this growing list of artists!

Howard Feigelman

Educator, Stand-Up Comedian

Howard is a graduate of Pace University in New York and attended their Graduate School majoring in Business Administration. After achieving executive positions in various apparel companies he purchased Dunrite Boyswear along with a partner in 1981. Retiring in 2003 Howard pursued other interests. A book was written and published, his passion for history was nourished through avid reading and he took on various jobs that had always interested him but he never had the time to pursue. He worked at Barnes & Noble for over a year, became Santa Clause at the Nanuet Mall Christmas of 2006 and continued a twenty-six year position at the City University of New York, Bronx Community College Campus as an adjunct instructor. For his A4A volunteer performance, Howard will perform stand-up comedy for people with Alzheimer's disease.

Sonia Stetkiewych

Artist, Elder Advocate

Sonia currently works at The Jewish Home & Hospital Lifecare System (JHHLS) in Manhattan in a community relations role. She obtained a Masters Degree from NYU in Art Therapy. She began working with elders at the JHHLS Westchester campus in the Therepetic Recreation Dept. She then moved onto Director of the Adult Day Healthcare Program, which she opened, and following that experience, Sonia became the Marketing Director for the Westchester Division. After a 3 year hiatis at another organization, Sonia returned to the Jewish Home in her current role and supports their mission "We are passionate about the quality of aging". Being passionate about people while always maintaining a creative edge, Sonia hopes to positively impact the lives of others by encouraging healthy living. According to Sonia, "The instant you see eyes light up from reacting to colors and pictures creates a chain reaction in yourself and others. There is no better feeling than being illuminated inside no matter who you are in life, age or condition." For more information about the continuum of care available through Jewish Home & Hospital (Manhattan, Bronx, Westchester, Community Services) please log onto their website: www.jewishhome.org

After college and marriage, Estelle enjoyed a fulfilling career as a teacher, a Consultant for a book company (Ginn & Co.), and a Story Teller, retiring in 1986. From then on, she has been enjoying volunteering her time and energy. She has worked with the Literacy Program, worked as a clown for a while, been a docent for the Holocaust Center in Spring Valley, read to a visually impaired man and, of course, do Story Telling whenever the opportunity arises. She keeps herself busy and with the different organizations she belongs to: Orangetown Jewish Center, Hadassah and the Hunter College Alumni Association.

STEVE RAPSON, MUSICIAN

Please add your name to this growing list of artists!
Aneta Koziol Physiotherapist, Artist	I have a Masters Degree in Physiotherapy from a university in Poland . As part of our curriculum we had clinical rotations in different hospitals and rehabilitation centers for patients with disabilities, including patients with Alzheimer's disease. During my Master's program I practiced different methods of increasing the efficiency of those patients including music therapy, massage, passive and active exercises improving patients' range of motion and eventually their quality of life. Every patient is a new challenge that requires an individual approach depending on his or her needs. I now live in New City , New York , within Rockland County . I will be making my ARTZ volunteer project at Hearthstone Alzheimer Care in Palisades , New York . Aneta can be contacted at masazystka1980@gmail.com
Phyllis Beinart Educator, Artist	Phyllis Beinart is an elementary art teacher/artist with a MA and BFA in Painting and Ceramics. She has experience in teaching art at all levels in public and private schools, which enables her to recognize all levels of artistic abilities in seniors. Phyllis teaches from experience that the arts are an integral part of the process of visualization and creation, regardless of the ultimate goal or medium. A painting can visually express another's experience and capture the depths of another culture…the feelings and the soul…not just ideas about it. Phyllis likes working with individuals who like to get in touch with their inner creative child. Contact Phyllis at: Beinart@Verizon.net
Howard Feigelman Educator, Stand-Up Comedian	Howard is a graduate of Pace University in New York and attended their Graduate School majoring in Business Administration. After achieving executive positions in various apparel companies he purchased Dunrite Boyswear along with a partner in 1981. Retiring in 2003 Howard pursued other interests. A book was written and published, his passion for history was nourished through avid reading and he took on various jobs that had always interested him but he never had the time to pursue. He worked at Barnes & Noble for over a year, became Santa Clause at the Nanuet Mall Christmas of 2006 and continued a twenty-six year position at the City University of New York, Bronx Community College Campus as an adjunct instructor. For his A4A volunteer performance, Howard will perform stand-up comedy for people with Alzheimer's disease.
Sonia Stetkiewych Artist, Elder Advocate	Sonia currently works at The Jewish Home & Hospital Lifecare System (JHHLS) in Manhattan in a community relations role. She obtained a Masters Degree from NYU in Art Therapy. She began working with elders at the JHHLS Westchester campus in the Therepetic Recreation Dept. She then moved onto Director of the Adult Day Healthcare Program, which she opened, and following that experience, Sonia became the Marketing Director for the Westchester Division. After a 3 year hiatis at another organization, Sonia returned to the Jewish Home in her current role and supports their mission "We are passionate about the quality of aging". Being passionate about people while always maintaining a creative edge, Sonia hopes to positively impact the lives of others by encouraging healthy living. According to Sonia, "The instant you see eyes light up from reacting to colors and pictures creates a chain reaction in yourself and others. There is no better feeling than being illuminated inside no matter who you are in life, age or condition." For more information about the continuum of care available through Jewish Home & Hospital (Manhattan, Bronx, Westchester, Community Services) please log onto their website: www.jewishhome.org
Lulu Joli-Bollinger, Artist	Lulu Joli-Bollinger is a self-taught artist who formed a business called, “Lulu’s Emporium” that offers a variety of creative services. Lulu’s primary focus is to introduce art as a therapeutic tool for seniors, and she specializes in working with Alzheimer patients. “I want seniors to know that they are important, that they matter, that they are capable of learning new things and being really good at it! I use art in many ways to help them to relax, to build their self-worth, to help them reach beyond physical pain, depression – whatever ails them. My art lesson plans offer them many options and I emphasize that they are in complete control as I encourage them to make choices with their art. They are always so relaxed and happy at the end of each art session, and amazed to see the beautiful art they never thought they could create! The rewards of creating art are endless and I believe there is an artist that lies within us all! " To contact Lulu: Lulu819@adelphia.net
Kimberly M. Condon, Artist & Advocate	Kimberly M. Condon is the Program Director of six years at Marillac Residence in Wellesley Hills, MA. This religious retirement home is run by the Sisters of Charity, Halifax, home for four religious communities. Kim incorporates unique programs within their prayerful, busy lives. Kim is also the creator of their newsletter Marillac Messenger, which is published seasonally. In 2005, she created the Familiar Picture Project for which she received a grant from the Wellesley Hills Junior Woman’s Club. The project focuses on those sisters with Alzheimer’s or Dementia, finding pictures from various places the sisters would enjoy and remember. To learn more about Marillac Residence, please go :http://www.schalifax.ca/sub/05retire/retire02b.html
K. Sorur Talaee Rad, Artist	Sorur is originally from Iran. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in social work, and worked as a social worker in Iran. She recently completed her Master of Social Worker (MSW), with a concentration in older adults and end of life care, at Salem State College in the U.S. Sorur has been painting since her childhood, and her media of choice includes oil, watercolor, and acrylic. While working with older clients with memory impairments, Sorur found art as a viable means of helping her clients to express their feelings and emotional needs more effectively. She created and facilitates an innovative model of expressive art therapy through painting that helps older adult population with moderate cognitive impairment (i.e. in the early stage of dementia), and people with aphasia (i.e. no longer able to carry on a conversation, but their cognitive functioning is good), to express their feelings and emotional needs more effectively. Sorur can be reached at stalaee@att.net.
LINDA LEVINE MADORI, ARTIST, PhD	Linda has worked as a psychotherapist for over 20 years in the area of aging, bringing art into the lives of as those individuals’ afflicted by Alzheimer’s disease. Her Ph.D. research in Alzheimer’s disease, cognition and psychosocial wellbeing is the basis for The TTAP Method, Therapeutic Thematic Arts Programming for Older Adults, published by health Professions Press, July 2006. Since 1991, she has presented over 100 papers and extensively lectured in seven countries, chaired the Creative Arts and Leisure Track of the American Society on Aging, developed professional intensives for the American Art Therapy Association, and held educational workshops and participated in international panel presentations as an Ambassador Leader for the People-to-People International Education Program. Currently, she is an Associate Professor at St. Thomas Aquinas College and a co-principle investigator, and clinical supervisor for the pilot research study on the TTAP Method at Hearthstone Alzheimer’s Care along with eight students from St. Thomas Aquinas College.
RACHEL HADAS, POET	Rachel has taught English for many years at the Newark campus of Rutgers University. She is the author of over a dozen books of poetry, essays, and translations,and has given readings and workshops nationwide. She's the recipient of awards including a Guggenheim Fellowship and and Ingram Merrill Fellowship. In the late 1980's and early 90's she ran a poetry workshop for people with AIDS at Gay Mens' Health Crisis. Poetry is always a lifeline, often in unexpected ways! Rachel can be reached at rhadas@rutgers.edu
DIANE DRIVER ADPC, CDP	Diane Driver is a Certified Dementia Specialist through the NCCDP and a Certified Activity Director through the NCCAP. Diane is the Director of Therapeutic Recreation and Volunteer Services at Dellridge Health and Rehabilitation Center in Paramus NJ. She is also a member of the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk Committee, and owner of Activityworkshop.com. Diane’s Grandmother also suffers from Alzheimer’s Disease. With over 10 years of experience working with Alzheimer’s Clients, Diane has developed Alzheimer’s “Workshops” and Art Groups for Alzheimer’s Clients. Mediums include watercolor, drawing, photography, and Collage art. Diane can be contacted by visiting activityworkshop.com
SWETHA SOMASUNDARAM Artist, Researcher	Swetha Somasundaram is a pharmaceutical researcher with a Masters in Biomedical Sciences and a Bachelor's in Chemical Engineering. She is an artist in her free time, studying part-time at the Art Students' League of New York, and her media of choice include dry pastels and charcoal. Swetha likes to combine her dual passions for healthcare and art whenever she can, and finds it rewarding to channel those energies into charitable work. She also has experience in and enjoys dancing and poetry reading/writing. To reach Swetha, please e-mail swetha@uwalumni.com
SUZANNE FIORE, MUSICIAN	A graduate of The Institute for Intergrative Nutrition, Suzanne is a Board Certified Holistic Health Counselor affiliated with the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. She most recently has formed and is President of EXPRESS YOUR HEALTH, LLC. The company is designed to implement programs unique to each client incorporating a balance of healthy food and lifestyle choices inspiring them to successfully reach their goals. Suzanne is also a professional, award-winning vocalist. She obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree with an emphasis in Voice and Acting from The Boston Conservatory. Suzanne studied voice and performed in Italy at the Spoleto Vocal Arts Festival, was a soloist with the Boston Pops Orchestra, toured the country in a variety of musicals and has recently been performing in New York City cabaret theatres. For more information, visit Suzanne's website at www.expressyourhealth.net.
GARY MEX GLAZER, AUTHOR	Gary Mex Glazner, Executive Director of the Alzheimer's Poetry Project, has been published by Harper Collins, W.W. Norton and Salon.com. The Alzheimer's Poetry Project (APP) is a simple idea: to read classic poems to the loved ones that they might have learned as children. This activity helps to stimulate memories and provides enjoyment for both the caregivers and people afflicted with dementia. “NBC’s “Today,” show and NPR’s “Weekend Edition,” have featured segments on the APP. His latest book is, "How to Make a Living as a Poet," is on Soft Skull Press. The website for The Alzheimer's Poetry Project is www.alzpoetry.com.
SANDY SIMON, GERIATRIC CARE MGR	In her work with older memory-impaired clients, Sandy has experienced the power of non-verbal connections that can be made through art and now uses drawing and painting in her work with these clients. She also participated in the A4A museum project by volunteering to conduct a focus group with people living with Alzheimer's at which participants looked at and discussed reproductions from the Museum of Modern Art's collection. She was very moved by the insights and poignant interpretations of the residents . "I feel honored to have been part of this important project ," she says. For more information, please visit: www.seniorsupportsolutions.com.
CAROL WEINSTEIN, FLUTIST	Dr. Carol Weinstein is a member of the New York Flute Club, the National Flute Association, and the Amateur Chamber Music Players. Dr. Weinstein has performed at such diverse places as Kaplan Space at Carnegie Hall and St. Vincent’s Hospital, and she has played at Master Classes given by top flutists such as Julius Baker, Keith Underwood, Jan Vinci, and Gary Schocker. Dr. Weinstein feels drawn to 'Artists for Alzheimers' partly due to her experience with family members who have had Alzheimer's, who she noticed always responded better to music (mostly Klezmer!) than to almost anything else. Dr. Weintein will be volunteering in White Plains, NY.
TONY SAUNDERS, VISUAL ARTIST	Tony Saunders is a visual artist and teacher with a BA in Art History and a thirty year span of painting and drawing. His main contention is that art is too important and fun to be left to specialists, so he is developing a program to help people without art experience to evaluate and make art themselves. He is amazed and thrilled by the artistic potential of dementia patients. He also records and plays various keyboards, guitars and strange instruments.
JACQUELINE VISCHER, AUTHOR	Dr. Jacqueline Vischer is an environmental psychologist who is currently a professor at the University of Montreal’s Faculty of Environmental Design. Born in England, she was educated in the UK and the US and has lived in the US and Canada for the past several years. She has authored several books on the environmental psychology of work environments, and she lectures and consults internationally.
HOPE SPERLING, ARTIST	Hope is a recent graduate of Rockland Community College with an A.S. in human services and is currently working on a Bachelor's degree in therapeutic recreation. She likes to combine her passion to create with her desire to reach out to people struggling with disease and illness- be it mental or physical. The moment she knew that working with people with Alzheimer's was what she wanted to do came when a resident who never spoke English to anyone finally said "hello" as she set up for an art class. Something so simple made such a difference in her life. Volunteering is something that she really appreciates and she will continue to do as much as she can to help whomever she can. She would eventually like to work with children who have Down syndrome, cerebral palsy and Williams Syndrome.
DALMONI LYDIJUSSE DESIGNER/SCULPTOR	Dalmoni is a designer/sculptor from Minas Gerais, Brazil. She has a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts with an emphasis in sculpture. She has a specialization in Integrative Arts along with a license in Fine Arts Education. She has studied & developed her craft taking classes in Brazil, Canada & the U.S. As an art educator, Dalmoni has led classes in various art mediums. As a designer, she has collaborated with architects around Minas Gerais, Brazil in creating glass and/or tile mosaics for private & public spaces. In addition to her teaching, lectures & exhibitions, she has helped plan & design exhibitions for professional photographers and former students. In the summer of 2005 Dalmoni was selected as “Artist-in-Residence” for the Artists for Alzheimer’s program in White Plains, NY. Making weekly visits, Dalmoni works one-on-one and with small groups (of two to three people) using terra cotta clay. She can be reached at dalmoni@aol.com
ESTELLE SOLLISH, STORY TELLER	After college and marriage, Estelle enjoyed a fulfilling career as a teacher, a Consultant for a book company (Ginn & Co.), and a Story Teller, retiring in 1986. From then on, she has been enjoying volunteering her time and energy. She has worked with the Literacy Program, worked as a clown for a while, been a docent for the Holocaust Center in Spring Valley, read to a visually impaired man and, of course, do Story Telling whenever the opportunity arises. She keeps herself busy and with the different organizations she belongs to: Orangetown Jewish Center, Hadassah and the Hunter College Alumni Association.
CAT CUTILLO, PHOTOGRAPHER	Cat Cutillo graduated from Tulane University in New Orleans where she majored in English and minored in photography. While in New Orleans, Cat taught creative writing to adult literacy students through an organized YMCA program. After graduation, she was a freelance photographer for a greater New Orleans magazine. Cat went on to study photojournalism at Brooks Institute of Photography in Ventura, CA. She's been working as a freelance photographer since moving to New York City in August 2004. Originally from New Hampshire, Cat is happy to be closer to her northeast roots and delighted to be a part of Artists for Alzheimer's. You can reach her at catcutillo@hotmail.com. Some of her photography can be seen at www.catcutillo.com.
SHEILA BUNIN, PHOTOGRAPHER	Sheila Bunin originally studied illustration, but with the births of her four children she became a typical "mother-photographer" and soon realized that she loved photography as an art form. Family portraits became a specialty and she gained much satisfaction from the part-time business that developed. Over the years, as she and her late husband Herb traveled the world, she photographed the beauty around them. At present, Sheila is a retired teacher who volunteers for many organizations, sharing her interests and talents. "Whether reading to the blind, or helping the foreign-born learn to speak English, or eliciting memories from Alzheimer residents who view my photographs, I truly feel I get more than I give -- volunteering is such an enriching experience."
JOE SPINELLI, MUSICIAN	For the past fifteen years Joe has been going monthly into assisted living centers and nursing homes with a program called “Music and Ministry Hour!”, an inspirational program designed to bring encouragement and comfort to the elderly. The program starts with “sing-a-long” hymns that are familiar to many. He plays the piano and sings old choruses, songs and hymns. Sometime during the program he discusses the Bible and has a brief devotional with the participants. Joe says his “music and ministry hour” programs have brought him much joy and personal satisfaction.
CLAUDIA STRAUSS, AUTHOR	An award-winning communications consultant and educator, Claudia J. Strauss is the author of Talking to Alzheimer’s: Simple Ways to Connect When You Visit with a Family Member or Friend (New Harbinger, December, 2001). The book came out of a series of visits with people struggling with Alzheimer’s that started by accident and led to well over a thousand visits. Though Strauss often brought her son to juggle, and played music and bingo with the friends she made, she found that it was the art of communication that generated joy, promoted dignity, and engendered relationships that grew deeper over the years. Endorsed by Zaven Khachaturian, Peter V. Rabins, M.D., Lisa Gwyther, Jonathan Kozol, and Betty Ransom, Talking to Alzheimer’s helps people enjoy their relationships even as they are being transformed, and to hold on to present pleasures even while anticipating the losses to come. To reach Strauss, send messages to cstrauss@alb.edu. More information on the book can be found on Amazon.
HILDA EPNER, ARTIST	Hilda Epner received an M.A. in Fine Arts and Education from Columbia University and studied with Hugh Mesibov and with Sam Feinstein of the Hans Hoffman school of painting. Before devoting full-time to her artwork, she taught Art at the Ridgewood School of Art, Pearl River School District, and Shawnee Leadership Institute, and taught puppetry at the Rockland Center for the Arts. In addition, she lectured on abstract expressionism at the Sunday Art Seminars of St. Thomas Aquinas College and on her drawing technique at Hopper House. She is a trustee of Edward Hopper House, Nyack, NY. Please visit her website at www.hildaepner.com ined sive arrangements of strong color and form and many have included automatic (subconscious) writing.
SUZANNE FAITH BAYBUTT, FLORAL ARTIST	Suzanne Faith Baybutt is an internationally recognized pressed floral artist. She is also a psychiatric nurse and Alzheimer's consultant working within the Alzheimer's community. Her work is funded through grants from the Office of Elder Affairs. Her art is created with the specific intention of connecting people to the beauty of the natural world that surrounds them. According to Suzanne, "The sensitivity I bring to that awareness I also bring into the lives of the patients and families I work with." Suzanne created the "Alzheimer's Healing Heart" which graced the cover of the Cape & Islands Alzheimer's Association brochure for many years representing the need for compassion and loving support for all those invovled in the day to day life of Alzheimer's Disease. Please visit her website www.natureofdesign.com.
BRIAN KOSOFF, PHOTOGRAPHER	After almost 25 years as an advertising and magazine photographer, a period during which his photographs appeared in hundreds of magazines and his clients included many of the Fortune 500, Brian Kosoff switched the focus of his work to photographs that had greater personal meaning to him. He closed his Manhattan studio and went out on the road, photographing and reinterpreting the landscape he encountered. His photographs now appear in exhibitions and galleries across North America and are collected widely. Some of his photographs can be seen at www.kosoff.com
DARIA BAUER, ACTRESS AND SINGER	Daria Bauer is an actor/singer from the SF Bay Area. Leonore Bauer, Daria's Mom, passed a couple of years ago and had had Alzheimers. It was so apparent that Mom was still able to love music and could remember all the old songs and sing them, as well. This fact remained, no matter how difficult other areas in her life had become. Her favorite was 'You Are My Sunshine, My Only Sunshine'. Music does truly resonate with and restore, all of us, no matter how difficult the challenges of our minds and bodys may become. I thank all of the other artist/volunteers and the staff at Hearthstone and Artists For Alzheimers for continuing this extremely important work. Please visit my webpages at http://www.dariabauer.biz
ANDREA SCHMIDT, STORY TELLER	Since moving to New York, Andrea has worked in several Broadway and off Broadway venues as a wig and hair stylist. She has recently applied to graduate school to pursue her MSW. She currently works with homeless shelters within all five boroughs, Long Island, and some upstate areas. She has pursued art since she was 13 years old and chose to minor in studio painting and drawing in college. She currently leads a team of volunteers in painting murals at schools in Manhattan through New York Cares. This past December Andrea received her facilitators certificate to lead TimeSlips programs. This story telling method was created as a way for Alzheimer's patients to interact socially and creatively.
BILLY SQUIER, MUSICIAN	Billy Squier and his band, Piper, recorded two albums for A&M Records during the mid 70s. He dissolved Piper in 1978 and signed a solo contract with Capitol Records a year later. In the United States, Squier enjoyed major successes with "Don't Say No" and "Emotions In Motion," both of which reached number 5 in the Billboard album chart. By the time he released his eighth studio album, "Tell The Truth," in 1993, Squier could reflect on worldwide sales of over 15 million records. In 1998 he released “Happy Blue,” his first studio album in five years,a collection of live vocal and acoustic guitar performances, written and produced by Squier. "Happy Blue,” he says, “Gave me a chance to challenge my abilities in an unfamiliar genre, and forced me to think in a completely different creative way. The purity of the performances was very compelling." Squier's music remains a staple of rock radio to this day. He also can lay claim to the title of "most sampled artist" in hip-hop, due primarily to the extensive use of "The Big Beat," from his first solo release. Fans can learn more by visiting www.BillySquier.com .
LAUREN VOLKMER, ACTRESS	Lauren is originally from the great state of North Carolina, where she received her BA in theatre in 1998. A series of acting jobs after college led her to New York, a long way from the town of 16,000 people where she was raised. Manhattan is home now, and her acting resume includes regional theatre, tours, and off-off Broadway showcases, as well as some film and the odd appearance on a soap opera. She is a self-professed “literature nerd” and lover of Shakespeare, so her performance for Artists for Alzheimers (in honor of her grandmother Jean) will include readings from sonnets and other favorite poems.
PAUL GUILFOYLE, ACTOR	Paul Guilfoyle has appeared on Broadway in Glengarry Glen Ross, Search and Destroy, and Richard III . His many film credits include Final Analysis, Striptease, L.A. Confidential, Air Force One, Primary Colors, The Negotiator, and Session 9 . He is currently a regular cast member on the hit CBS series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation where he plays Captain Jim Brass. A longtime New York resident, Paul is a member of the Actors Studio. .
STELLA PADNOS, POET	Stella Padnos is currently pursuing a graduate degree in Creative Writing from the City College of New York, where she won the Raymond Patterson Poetry Prize. She is the recipient of a 2001 Amy Award, which recognizes urban female poets under 30. She was nominated for a 2002 Pushcart Prize by Poetz.com, where her poetry can be found. Stella served as Associate Publisher of Rattapallax Press from 2000-2001. She has worked in numerous social service settings with varied populations including adoptive parents, the formerly homeless, and those afflicted with HIV/AIDS.
STEVE RAPSON, MUSICIAN	Steve's debut CD, Christmas Guitar, is sold around the world. He has followed up with five more CD's: Romantic Guitar, Half Irish Guitar, Patriotic Guitar, Original Guitar and Nursery Guitar, each with a companion book of transcriptions. Today, Rapson is a recording artist, songwriter, and performing musician. As a music producer, Steve works with songwriters and performers. His approach to stage work has helped further the careers of many new artists including Kevin So, Mary Gauthier, Ellen Schmidt, British singer/songwriter Paul Chi, and German composer/pianist Ivo Wiesner. He is communications consultant to The American Success Institute in Natick, Massachusetts. Steve holds a Masters Degree in Communication Management from Simmons College. He lives in Quincy, Massachusetts with Rosemary, his wife of thirty years. Visit Steve's website at www.soloperformer.com
MoMA Architectural design of MoMA in Manhattan, opening in Winter 2004	The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City was founded in 1929. Its rich and diverse collection includes over 100,000 paintings, prints, photographs, drawings, sculptures, and design objects. Through its Department of Education, MoMA is reaching out to people living with Alzheimer's by creating Alzheimer's-friendly collection and exhibition tours by specially Artists for Alzheimer’s-trained Museum educators. Training sessions increase the lecturers’ understanding of Alzheimer’s and ways to develop a museum tour tailored for people living with dementia. With MoMA Department of Education staff, Artists for Alzheimer’s is carrying out the research necessary to demonstrate the dynamic relationship between Alzheimer’s and artistic expression. To learn more about MoMA and its Community and Access Programs, please visit their website at www.moma.org/education/community.html
CHERYL PERREAULT, POET	eryl Cheryl is a spoken-word artist and poet who performs in and around Boston. MA. . She is often accompanied by the percussion of singer-songwriter Steve Sanford and the guitar music of Steve Rapson. Cheryl currently hosts and co-produces a monthly poetry and music venue at HCAM TV Studio known as Wake up and Smell the Poetry which is aired on HCAM cable television in Hopkinton. In addition, she co-facilitates the monthly CAA Women's Art Forum with Geri Holland and is poetry columnist and free-lance writer for local news sources. Cheryl also works as a hospice volunteer/memoir writer for U-Mass Memorial and has worked as a part-time instructor for Northeastern University where she has taught courses in introductory topics of psychology, developmental psychology, senior seminar in psychology and the psychology of women. She also gives presentations on poetry and wellness, parenting/family and in celebrating the joy of the everyday. For more information about Cheryl, please visit her website at www.cherylperreault.com.
LISA SPITZ, INTERACTION DESIGNER	As an Interaction Designer, Lisa takes seriously the impact she has on how people experience and perceive a particular interface, product or environment. Her philosophy towards design is one of human-centered principles and methodologies, with a particular focus on generative research methods for empathizing with people's needs and desires. Lisa’s professional experience is in interface design (at Fidelity Investments) and usability evaluation (at the American Institutes for Research). She holds a masters degree in Interaction Design from Carnegie Mellon University and a bachelors degree in Psychology and Graphic Arts from Regis College. For her performance for Artist's for Alzheimer's, Lisa will faciliate an arts and crafts group, assisting participants with the development of various collages. By working with pictures and images from the early 20th Century, Lisa hopes to stimulate positive long-term memories of her participants.
FRANCES BARRINEAU, ARTIST	Frances was born in Atmore, Alabama in 1946 and after several years of living abroad with her family, settled in Pensacola, Florida in 1957. Since 1990 she has lived in Texas and Germany and now lives in Townsend, Massachusetts. She is married to Mark L. Littlefield and they have a daughter, Michelle Gaston Littlefield, born in Houston in 1992. Frances earned a Bachelor's Degree in Fine Arts from the University of West Florida in 1969, with an emphasis on painting. Frances received a Master’s Degree in International Affairs in 1988 from Florida State University. Her approach is predominantly the abstract expressionist style and she works in oils. Her motifs are primarily nature and music, especially jazz. Many of her works evoke landscapes. However, for the past decade she has done a number of collages and a combination of collage and paintings in acrylics. The latter collage-paintings originally were inspired by Cajun Mardi Gras masks, but as they have evolved they have taken on more African and Native American influences. She has shown in juried exhibitions in Florida, Texas and Connecticutt, and had a one man show of her collages and collage-paintings in Alabama in 2001. Please visit her website at www.walkonartfloorcloths.tk
JANICE LEWIS, CARE PARTNER	Janice is a care partner for people with Alzheimer's in Brockton, Massachusetts. Janice has done volunteer work with The Commission for Abused Women and Children. Janice is very interested in the art of rug hooking, needlepoint, flower arranging, decorating, and all types of arts and crafts. Some of her hobbies include: gardening, going to the movies, sewing, reading, and cooking. Janice is also a licensed hairdresser. For her "Artists for Alzheimer's" performance Janice will help organize a painting show for participants. When asked why it is important to be a part of "Artists for Alzheimer's," Janice said: "Because I love to see the gleam in their faces; it seems to awaken their souls. It is truly a touching experience for everyone involved!
ROBERT SELKOWITZ, ARTIST	The images artist Robert Selkowitz creates in oil and pastel bring to the viewer a sense of spiritual renewal and healing. The paintings depict real places where nature offers recreation to the human spirit, easing stress and strengthening life force. Robert is a leader in the Arts in Healthcare movement, which recognizes the healing power of art. His focus on this powerful renewing aspect of art is the result of years of tireless travel and research. He has created a body of work representing a diverse North American landscape from Seaside, Florida to Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, from Telluride, Colorado to Chautauqua, New York. "That’s where I want to be!" is often the first response of a viewer of a Robert Selkowitz painting. The paintings have the power to bring the experience of being there in a place where tension melts and life is enjoyed. Through his Sunlight Studio, located in Ashokan, New York, near the historic Woodstock art colony, Robert has coordinated the building of art collections for healthcare facilities, bringing additional artists into a group and publishing their work, along with his own, in photoprint editions. He has developed connections with Arts in Healthcare facilitators throughout the world. To learn more about Robert Selkowitz, visit www.artfolks.com, or e-mail him at artfolks@ulster.net
MAX SINGER, PAINTER (Self portrait by the artist)	"The Artist Maxy" is one of the brashest, most vibrant and challenging exponents of that genre of New York Art loosely known as "Streetstyle". While lesser known than his contemporaries Haring and Basquiat, Maxy and his work exhibit much of the common set of artistic and cultural influences, attitudes, and lifestyles that unify this stylistically diverse genre. The themes of his paintings include most of the material that Streetstyle loves to represent including scenes from street life, work inspired by music, and imagined landscapes. To learn more, please visit www.maxyfactory.com.
TANYA AZARANI, ARTIST	Tanya has just earned a B.A. from Fordham University where she majored in Natural Science (Pre-Med) and minored in Visual Art. This June she will be applying to medical schools and in the future, hopes to practice medicine and conduct scientific research as an M.D./Ph.D. She is also an artist and has enjoyed creating art since the time of her childhood."For me, art is the purest form of self-expression, an unfiltered reflection of my subconscious memories, thoughts, and feelings. Creating art has always served as a means of self-expression and emotional release, and has been integral to my personal development. Given my scientific background, I now have a much better understanding of the role of art in catharsis and healing. Having studied Alzheimer's disease as a Pre-Medical student, I now understand the potential for art to stimulate memory retrieval, and mitigate depression and other symptoms of Alzheimer's disease. I enjoy sharing my passion for art with people living with AD and providing them with an emotional outlet, and a means of maintaining their identities through non-verbal communication, both within themselves, and also with their environment. "
ETHAN GETO, COMEDIAN	Ethan Geto, born and raised in The Bronx, a borough actually funnier than Brooklyn, has been a comedian and jokester all his life, a talent he inherited from his father who was a comic and social director in the Borscht Belt in the 1940s. His repertoire is drawn from thousands of jokes he inherited from his father and stole from other comics. Ethan's sense of humor and his impeccable timing were honed on the stages of the Borscht Belt performing in his father's act. A graduate of Columbia College where his major achievement was rooming with John Zeisel, he has worked at City Hall and on Capitol Hill, which kept him laughing for years. Today he heads a highly-regarded PR and Political Consulting firm, where he is presently managing a 2004 Presidential Campaign in New York State.. Ethan Geto has been compared to Milton Berle, Henny Youngman, Danny Kaye and Madeline Allbright, but can't understand why, except that all five are Jewish.
EVA ZEISEL, DESIGNER	Eva Zeisel, at age 96 is one of the world's best-known industrial designers. As an Artist for Alzheimer's, Eva will work with plaster and clay modeling to demonstrate to residents how art can transform the everyday to an inspired creation. Her illustrious career has included dinnerware, glassware, and furniture included in collections at the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Museum, among others. Her long career is the focus of a 2003 documentary film Throwing Curves, directed by Jyll Johnstone. Eva lives in the Upper West Side and Rockland County. To learn more about Eva Zeisel, please visit her website: www.evazeiseloriginals.com
MARIYLN KAPLAN, MUSIC SPECIALIST	Marilyn Kaplan retired recently from her position as Music Specialist in the Therapeutic Recreation department of the Jewish Home and Hospital. Her extensive repertoire includes music of the 1930s and 40s, show tunes, as well as Yiddish, Hebrew, and Spanish songs. Born in New York and a graduate of Hunter College, Marilyn developed her own approach to music and health using piano and guitar without sheet music to further enhance interaction with her audience and encourage their participation.
DAVID HOMAN, COMPOSER AND ACTOR	David Homan, composer and actor, has had his work performed in New York at Carnegie Hall and overseas in Budapest, Hungary and Florence, Italy. David's major works composed for flute, piano, violin, quartets, and orchestra include At the Edge (2002), Einstein's Dreams (2000), and Ophelia (1999). His acting credits include Orpheus and Eurydice at the Bard College Blackbox Theatre and The Life and Death of Tom Thumb (1999). David lives on the Upper West Side.
JEANNE RICHARDS, WRITER	Jeanne Richards, actress and children's book writer, was born and raised in Manhattan. Her Broadway credits include Fiddler on The Roof and The Rothschilds. Off-Broadway she has acted in many plays and musicals. In the last two years Jeanne has added writing children's books to her repertoire.Titles include How The Elephant Got Its Trunk: a retelling of Kipling's story (Henry Holt & Co. 2001), A Fruit Is A Suitcase for Seeds (The Millbrook Press, 2001), The First Olympic Games: A Gruesome Tale With A Happy Ending, Based On A Greek Myth (The Millbrook Press, 2000), and God's Gift (Bantam, Doubleday Dell, 1993, illustrations by Norman Gorbaty) a retelling of the Adam and Eve story-a Book-Of-The-Month Main Selection. After her visit, Jeanne sent us these words: "It was a lot of fun and very gratifying to share my books with Hearthstone residents. It’s a nice challenge to find the best and smartest in each listener, and to answer their questions accurately and with good humor. May I come again?"
MACKENZIE MELEMED, PIANIST	MacKenzie, a.k.a. The Little Piano Man, has studied with pianist/composer Dean Arvidson for the past two years. He is a member of the Worcester Children's Chorus. He spends much of his time performing for seniors. Before the age of six, he had accomplished over one hundred performances. Mayor Timothy Murray recently awarded MacKenzie a Mayoral Citation for outstanding contribution and ispiration to the community. He has appeared on The Rosie O'Donnell Show, The Wayne Brady Show, and Americas Funniest Home Videos, as well as in many national and regional commercials for TV and radio. He is featured in May of 2003 in a Discovery Channel documentary on Mozart, playing the part of Mozart as a child.
EVAN BASS, ACTOR	Evan Bass, a recent Columbia College Graduate, is an actor, screenwriter, and Upper West Side resident. His recent appearances in films at NYU and the New York Film Academy have catapulted him into the spotlight. Presently studying the Meisner Technique at the Ward Studio in NYC, along with script readings and scene work Evan's Artist for Alzheimer's presentation includes scene readings from familiar plays of the 1950s.
PAUL ROBERTSON, VIOLINIST	Paul Robertson, 1st violinist in the world renowned Medici Quartet, is one of the world's leading experts on the relationship between music and health. For the BBC he narrated a series that looked into the way music can reduce the need for anesthetics in surgery, can serve as a means of communication for autistic children, and can energize the minds of Downs Syndrome children. With over 100 CDs and records to his and the Medici Quartet's credit, Paul has recently begun work with John Zeisel, of Hearthstone Alzheimer Care, on a Symphony for the Self, a musical performance drawing on the experience of those with Alzheimer's and those who care for them. Paul's website is: www.musicmindspirit.org
RACHEL EPSTEIN, VOCALIST	Rachel is a native New Yorker and the Director of the Senior Center of Queens. She has been a member of the prestegious 'Hebrew Arts Corral' in Manhattan's Merkin Hall and singing remains an important part of her life. Rachel is particularly drawn to Hearthstone's 'Artist for Alzheimer's Program' because of her experience working with the elderly as a New York City based Social Worker as well as her closely held belief that, "You can't be sad when you are singing".
DAVID ELLNER, ACTOR	David a native New Yorker, received his formal training at The Circle on the Square Theatre School and City College of New York. He has also studied extensively with Lynn Singler formerly of The Yale School of Drama, and has had the pleasure of both working and studying with Tony Award Winner Trazana Beverly. David is drawn to Hearthstone's 'Artists for Alzheimers' in part because he has witnessed the effects of Alzheimer's and believes that the 'Arts' are a perfect tool for expression in this somewhat compromised population. David enjoys a myriad of cultural events here in the Big Apple but is particularly pleased that he has clear reception of the Yankee Channel as part of his basic cable package.
JO-ANN STERNBERG,	Jo-Ann lives a varied musical life in New York, as a member of the DaCapo Chamber Players, the Riverside Symphony, the Greenleaf Chamber Players and Sequitur, and performs regularly with such ensembles as Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, St. Luke's Chamber Orchestra, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Musicians from Marlboro and New York Philomusica. Her summer festivals have included Marlboro, Tanglewood, and Schleswig-Holstein. After receiving a B.A. in English from Tufts University and a B.M. in Clarinet Performance from the New England Conservatory, she continued her studies at Yale University with David Shifrin and at the Julliard School with Charles Neidich, receiving an M.M. from Julliard in 1991. In addition to several recordings with Orpheus for Deutsch-Grammophon, Jo-Ann's discography includes recordings on the Nonesuch, Troy, CRI, Archetype, and St. Cyprien labels. She lives on the Upper West Side of Manhattan with her husband Bill and their young children, Joshua and Rebecca.
DIANNE CARR, STORYTELLER	"Tales to the Funnybone"tm, a performance piece, is taken from original stories and poems by Dianne R. Carr, including "Tales of the Oonies," "Tank Talk," "Dragon Days and Rabbit Ways," "Wally the Painting (Artist) Cat," and "Big Kids Little Kids." " . . . Funnybone" has been presented in varying venues: Teachers and Writers Collaborative, with WNYE-91.5FM, the New Rochelle Public Libraries, WVOX-1460AM, "Good Morning Westchester!" in the Losaida Community's 5-C Cultural Center, Newark, New Jersey's LaSalle School, the Moroccan Star Cafe, the pending Centennial celebration of the Williamsburg Bridge (sponsored by Brooklyn Arts Council and the NY Daily News,) and more. Dianne was first introduced to "extraordinary creatures" as a guest with Shari Lewis and Shari Lewis's Lamb Chop on the "Hi Mom Show." Dianne is a classically-trained musician, has a performing arts background and is the founder of the not-for-profit organization, Art Forum for Children, Inc., created to provide all children with tours of public works and monuments--at no cost to the child!
MARIANNE BEREL, PIANIST	Marianne Berel has played the piano since the age of two. After studying music therapy for handicapped children at Columbia University, she worked for many years as Education Director and Learning Disabilities Specialist at the United Cerebral Palsy (UCP). Born in Breslau and presently a resident of the Upper West Side, Marianne received an award for achievement from the International Society for Music in Medicine. In addition to participating in the "Artists for Alzheimer's" program, Marianne volunteers at the Columbian Presbyterian Hospital at the Department of Radiology, entertaining children with puppets, key rings, and magnets, in addition to her music.
PAUL RAIA, PERCUSSIONIST	Paul has been playing the drums since he was a small child. A psychologist by training and Director of Patient Care and Family Support at the Massachusetts Alzheimer's Association, he plays occassionally with the rock ensemble "Group Therapy." His major influence as a musician was Joe Morello, a sight-impaired drummer with the Dave Brubek Quartet.
LEV MENDES, ARTIST	Lev is a native New Yorker and currently attends the Marsha Stern Talmudic Academy. He has been drawing with various mediums since the age of three and began formal lessons at age nine. Lev's interests range from music to films to reading a good book. The Artist's for Alzheimer's Program is intriguing to Lev because he has had experience drawing with people of all ages and abilities, and drawing with an individual with Alzheimer's will, as he puts it, "let us view a glimpse of life through their eyes and a window into their world."
TAISHA GONZALES, MASSAGE THERAPIST	Taisha Gonzalez, a graduate from the renowned Swedish Institute, is a licensed massage therapist. Her thesis in college consisted of a massage treatment plan tailored for Alzheimer patients. Her inspiration for her thesis and contributing to Artists for Alzheimer's was her grandmother who suffered from Alzheimer's disease. As a teenager who had to struggle to understand what Alzheimer's was, she now realizes what could have been done differently. Modalities such as massage and aromatherapy could have eased her grandmother's symptoms during the day, before sun downing, or when she woke up at night. At the Swedish Institute she was trained in modalities such as Swedish, Shiatsu, deep tissue, sports and chair massage. Before the age of 22 this New Yorker has worked for The Waldorf-Astoria, Affinia Wellness Center, and the Village Day Spa. She looks forward to building an independent massage practice and pursuing ambitions related to veterinary work. To learn more please e-mail her at kremita_81@hotmail.com.