A community documentary web-series called WHAT IS ART? put together this gem of a video earlier this year summing up the diverse and vibrant art scene in Peterborough. Very cool...

WHAT IS ART? Ep 1 "Art is Everything." A FILM BY Lester Alfonso MUSIC BY Nostalgic Home Highways APPEARING: Lester Alfonso, Jesse Goodrice, Tessa Nasca, Angel Hamilton, Myles Conner, Thomas Vaccaro, Ian Smith, Jimmy Lightshow, John Marris, Nancy Simmons Smith, Bethany Taylor, Bronson Smith, Marc Roy, John Chartrand, Toby Tylor, Ray McGirl, Peter Mettler, Alanis King, Michael Ketemer, Su Ditta, Esther Vincent, Jon Hedderwick, Zan Bilz, David Bigg, Michael Weber, Janet Howse, Cody Shadzik, Sasha Patterson, Suzanne Moreau, Lisa McKaskell, Anna Currier, Annie Jaeger, Dorothy Caldwell, Doug Andrews, Tanya Connolly, Peterborough Roller Derby, Tanya Lee Hamilton, Rick Amsbury, Tony Lagana, Sean Eyre, Ashlin Boustead, Sebastian Deery, Opal Jennifer Elchuk and more... ADDITIONAL CREATIVE AND TECHNICAL CONTRIBUTIONS BY Matthew Hayes, Angel Hamilton, Sasha Patterson, Jon Hedderwick, Paul Caleb, Thomas Vaccaro, Jimmy Lightshow, Tim Wilson, Annie Jaeger, Chris Chapman, Georgia May, Sebastian Deery, Angela Kirley, Wes Ryan and Michael Morritt. THANKS TO Kawartha Artists Gallery & Studio (KAGS), Jana Thompson, Lisa Clark, Evelyn Van Hockelen, Janette O'Neil, Sign-a-Rama, Kyle Dubblestyne, John Marshall, WhiteBulb, Renegade Apparel, The Garnet, Kinsmen Arena, Tony's Gold, Bandits Apparel, Artspace, The Hatch, Chumleigh's, Sam's Deli, Brody Chapelle, Thomas Willington, Simon Cretien, Elizabeth Fennell, Gallery in the Attic, Patricia Thorne, Krista English, Nancy Carter, Brad Brackenridge, Wendy Van Monsjou, Vincent Chevalier, Fynn Leitch, Peter Blow, Wayne Eardley, Mike Munn, Peter Mettler and all of our members and supporters. THIS WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE GENEROSITY OF The Ontario Arts Council, Artspace / MediaLab, ReFrame Peterborough International Film Festival and Market Hall Performing Arts Centre.

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Peterborough start-up company The Work of Art—last year’s winner of the Bears' Lair entrepreneurial contest in Peterborough—breathes new life into those living with Alzheimer disease and dementia.

Its creator, Janet Howse, an artist and Recreation Therapist specializing in art programming for dementia, believes art has the ability to improve the quality of life for those living with Alzheimer and dementia (there are currently almost 6 million people suffering from dementia in North America, and this number is expected to double by 2030).

“In 2003 I took a job running art programs on the secure dementia unit in a Long Term Care facility," says Howse. "At the time, I knew little about dementia and had never worked with seniors. I was drawn to the job because of the art aspect but what I discovered was a deep love, passion and commitment to folks living with this debilitating disease.”

For the past 10 years, she has worked in recreation therapy running art studios, one-on-one sessions and professional training for people with dementia and their caregivers. She has seen first-hand what an incredible tool art is for people living with dementia, and believes it is a fantastic aid for caregivers who struggle to find a way to connect with those suffering.

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As such, Howse developed all-inclusive painting kits that can be used by anyone but are specifically designed to help bypass the limitations experienced by someone with dementia. She has created an Indiegogo campaign to help raise funds for the production of the first 1,000 demential-specific painting kits, which is her biggest hurdle right now (once the first run has been produced, costs will go down, and the business will be sustainable).

Learn more about her unique painting kits in this video below, and visit her website here.

Uploaded by The Work Of Art Visuals on 2014-01-31.

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