31 Mar The Brain Project sparks creativity at Baycrest
Baycrest is building its own brain. As part of the Baycrest Foundation’s Brain Project, presented by TELUS, clients, volunteers, family members and staff from the Creative Arts department are coming together to share their artistic talent and creativity for a great cause.
The Brain Project is a new campaign in support of care and research into Alzheimer’s disease and age-related dementia. The Baycrest Brain, as it’s affectionately being called, will be on display in Toronto in the summer of 2016. Nearly 100 additional brains, designed by a diverse group of emerging and renowned artists, architects and designers, will be part of the city-wide art exhibit. Following the installation, some of the brains will be auctioned to collectors worldwide.
Brenda Lass, creative arts specialist at Baycrest, says unlike many of the other brains, which will be designed by individual artists, the Baycrest Brain will be a very collaborative project.
“All of our creative arts clients will play a role in this project,” says Lass. “This is a wonderful art project for artists of all skill levels. Many of our clients, especially those with dementia, enjoy the tactile nature of the art. We all feel very lucky to be part of this creative project.”
The Donald and Elaine Rafelman Creative Arts Studio will be using a kiln donated by the family and friends of Stanley Blonder and Alex Ship, to create dozens of ceramic tiles. The tiles will then be used to transform the brain into a colourful mosaic.
“Every tile will be unique,” says Lass. “Every piece will be made by hand, hardened in the kiln, and painted. Some of the tiles require multiple coats of paint and trips through the kiln as our artists give their tiles unique colours and textures.”
The Baycrest Brain will be completed by May 2016. To see the creative work in progress, visit The Donald and Elaine Rafelman Creative Arts Studio.