Begin by asking “what can you see?” This will help you to gain insight into each participants’ perspective. Use these insights to build a discussion, then you could expand with the follow-up questions displayed on this page.
Discussion provides an opportunity to view and find inspiration from works of art in the National Collection. A process of discovery, using open-ended questions, allows multiple opinions to be shared. This method will elicit responses beyond yes or no, leading to meaningful discussion where people with dementia are able to demonstrate their ability.
For example: the question, "What colour is the sky?" could be experienced as a test with a 'correct' answer. Try instead: "Tell me about the sky." Asking the question in this way allows participants to make choices and give a variety of responses.
Be patient and open. Allow time for participants to look at the work of art, process the questions and to formulate an answer. Don’t be afraid of silence. Discussion should be fun, social, and intellectually stimulating to build confidence and learn something new.
Discussion tip:
Allow participants to answer the questions in their own way. They may not respond in the way you were expecting. So, adjust your expectations. Listen carefully, allow the participants to lead the conversation, and be open to the discoveries you make together.
The materials we are using are paper, an A3 sheet of watercolour paper, two wax crayons, gold and silver, watercolour pencils, a brush with its own water reservoir, two pebbles and some tape. Work together on one piece of A3 paper.
To start, trace around the pebbles with the wax crayons. Imagine the piece of paper is a stream and these shapes or stones are going to direct the flow of colour. After I have created some rapids and pools I am going to use watercolour pencils to mimic the flow of water around the stones.
I can’t help feeling as I do this that the paper is a bit like the river of life, with the pencils flowing, moving, finding a way around each obstacle.
When you have created lots of flowing lines use a brush and water to blend the colour together.
If you have used a lot of water you may have to pause before this next step for your paper to dry a bit.
Our next step is to make a bowl.
If you have worked with a partner work out how to divide the paper between you and with each piece fold and shape it to create a container.
I am using two folds and then some darts to bring up the sides.
I have a bowl, full of water to share, and weighted at its base with my stone or pebbles.