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Anthony Phelps/STUFF/Marlborough Express
Charlotte Buskin, left, will showcase her paintings from nature at Blenheim’s Alzheimers Centre, while Tamara Jansen, right, will show her resin works at the Marlborough Art Society Gallery.
More than 40 Marlborough artists are preparing to showcase their work to support people living with dementia/mate wareware in the Alzheimers Marlborough Art, Crafts and Collections Trail.
The Marlborough Alzheimers Foundation will host the self-drive annual fundraising event on the weekend of September 23 and 24.
Participating artists, craftspeople and collectors from across the region will open their studios to show and sell their work, and there will also be exhibitions at the Marlborough Art Society Gallery, the Dudson Scott Gallery, and Blenheim’s Alzheimers Centre.
Both Charlotte Buskin and Tamara Jansen’s lives have been touched by dementia, which they said encouraged them to join the artists supporting the trail.
Jansen’s mother died with Alzheimer’s in Bashkortostan, in the Ural Mountains of Russia, which Jansen left for New Zealand 28 years ago.
The Wairau Valley resident painted and sculpted with vibrantly-coloured resins, crafting three-dimensional artworks to hang or display.
”I love colour,” Jansen said.
Along with the resin works, her large fabric and cement vases, crocheting, knitting and fabric creations would be among the displays at the Marlborough Art Society Gallery on Blenheim’s High St.
Buskin’s mother had helped to care for a woman in her 60s living with Alzheimer’s, adding happiness to her final years.
The full-time artist painted from her home in Blenheim and sold her work online, specialising in painting birds, insects and flowers, often depicted in their natural habitat.
Scott Hammond/Stuff
Blenheim’s Alzheimers Centre on Wither Rd will be among the exhibition hosts. (File photo)
Buskin said she was looking forward to interacting with people who visited the trail studio space at the Marlborough Alzheimers Centre in Wither Rd.
Alzheimers Foundation Marlborough administrator Helen Knapp said ticket sales for the event would help with long-term expenses, such as replacing the centre’s van, and extending its building as demand increased, along with filling funding gaps.
The organisation helped 148 people living with dementia in the community, and 129 of their supporters.
STUFF
Almost 50 people shared experiences of having dementia or caring for someone with it, as part of research for Alzheimers NZ.
Each month, 300 activity sessions were held at the centre, and supporters could access education and advice. Training and resources were also offered to health professionals.
Last year’s trail event raised about $12,000 from tickets, raffles and donated funds from artwork sales.
People could buy the $25 tickets at the Blenheim and Picton i-Sites, the Marlborough Alzheimers Centre, the Marlborough Art Gallery, and Raukura Gallery on Picton’s High St.
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