Village of Pelham, NY, USA
Elasah Schaff-Smith integrates the arts in a variety of creative modalities, populations and settings. As an artist and teaching artist she has coordinated programs in Fine Art, Design and Creative Wellness in New York, Michigan, and Hawaii for children through adults. Using the arts as a tool of communication, she encourages creative expression with life stories.
Elasah holds , BS and Creative Arts Therapy certification from The New School and studied multi-disciplinary arts at The California Institute of the Arts. She has worked as a volunteer TA with the Guggenheim, LTA program and is still active with the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Access program. Her paintings are represented by Sandra Morgan Gallery, Greenwich, Ct., focusing on exploring the landscape in an impressionistic way.
Art can with words or wordlessly, through sound or in silence, shout a message, invoke a laugh, evoke a tear, motivate and elevate. (Charter for Compassion)
I was introduced to Art and Alzheimer’s after my mother had a brain injury. For many years, creative projects seemed to stimulate her sensory and memory awareness. Wanting to learn more about aging, I've learned through, Lifetime Arts, The Creative Center, Creative Arts Therapy and Art Access programs, how the arts can bridge many gaps.
Working in communities with memory care, partially sited and some physically disabled persons, I’ve had the opportunity to observe how creativity can engage people to express their voice. One example, when at a senior center, a man with limited speech, drew a map of Japan in his own way. To his son’s surprise, his father used the hand drawn map to name familiar cities where he was stationed in the war. This creative moment connected both of their lives with meaning and emotion. Even when communication skills are compromised, amazing things can occur during and after the art making process.
Creativity offers a timeless experience with it’s unique language, innate in everyone. Life suddenly has new perceptions when fully embracing the process. I hope life stories can be shared through art expressions, validating everyone.
