How does the dedicated lifelong artist keep creating art when their brain is losing gray matter? A recent exhibit at ArtisTree Gallery in
South Pomfret, called TRIO: Exploring Dementia provided a glimpse into this process. Three Upper Valley artists who had established themselves professionally with their vast array of works in many mediums were represented in this exhibit. All had some form of dementia. All were women and all recently passed away. A representation of their best works hung from the gallery walls, an impressive display of talent. Their later works told the story of decline in their ability to fully use the skills that were so vital in their lives as professional artists.

Art by Betsy Goldborough

The idea for this exhibit came from a nationally recognized artist’s daughter, Jean Goldsborough of Reading, Vermont. Her mom, Betsy Goldsborough moved to Woodstock Terrace assisted living facility as it became clear she could not manage to live on her own safely. Her family noticed symptoms of dementia as early as 2009. The diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease came in 2015. Her daughter, aware that continuing to create art could be a source of stimulation and pleasure, discovered the art workshop offering for seniors at ArtisTree and encouraged her mother to attend. She did and it was a godsend.

Art by Betsy Goldborough

No longer able to manually maneuver pastels, she took up a brush and created art  with watercolors on these Friday morning workshops. Those works hang next to her earlier works. A friend who accompanied me to this exhibit said with awe just how quickly she got to the end point after looking at the selection and dates of Betsy’s art. A pastel portrait of her daughter, Jean as a very young girl is striking in its detail and beauty. Betsy did hundreds of portraits. She contributed her talents to several art-related boards in the Baltimore area and taught art classes in her studio. Betsy painted up to 12 days before she died in March of 2018. She was 86.

Margaret McCracken, one of the three artists whose works are on display at this exhibit at ArtisTree, fought a shorter battle. She died at 66 years old, also a resident of Woodstock Terrace. Her form of dementia was especially cruel. Her neurological degenerative brain disease (PSP) eventually deprived her the use of her hands. Examples of her stained glass creations cover one wall of the gallery. There are some watercolors and some beaded earrings, as well. In one corner hangs a very late work looking like two columns of lines in two colors. Joan Columbus, a Woodstock artist of note (www.joancolumbus) was most impressed by this representation. “There’s a core. It’s illuminating. It just might be a self-portrait. I love it,” she said.

Art by Margaret McCracken

Margaret was a skilled stain glass artist who sold large pieces commercially. There was a probe into her exposure to toxic lead in her studio, contributing later to her dementia. It was never proved. Once Margaret could no longer manage the work required in the stain glass creations, she turned to watercolors and kept up her love of photography exploring digital capabilities. The last six years of her life her skills were so compromised, she could not do all the forms of art that previously defined her. Brenda Phillips grew up in Florida knowing her grandmother died early with some form of dementia. Her mother also succumbed to what was diagnosed as corticobasal degeneration, and Brenda was to experience the same fate, but not without a fight. Brenda, a Mount Holyoke art major, researched every aspect of dementia and decided she would memorize poems – some of her favorite poet William Butler Yeats. After memorizing The Second Coming, she went to her studio and switched to her right brain and expressed the poem in a massive painting with no forethought. Her medium was oils. Her preferences were figures, color and bold, always. Brenda shared her skill by teaching, mentoring, and contributing to the AVA Gallery and Art Center as a board member. Brenda had 50 showings of her art throughout her career.

The works of these three successful artists, all formally trained, live on online, in galleries, museums, and in the homes of friends and family, and in the case of Brenda Phillips, on YouTube. Her friend and her husband interviewed Brenda in 2006. In the third interview, Brenda speaks of her experience with memorizing and then painting the Yeats poem. Just prior to this she had a disturbing morning where she could not remember anything.

ArtisTrees produces well-curated exhibits twice a year in their three-room art gallery on-site in South Pomfret. Along with the artworks in this latest exhibit, Trio; Exploring Dementia, two poignant films were shown: I Remember Better When I Paint and Of Mind and Music.

For the annual Bookstock weekend starting July 26, this gallery will host an exhibit called Unbound, all expressions relating to books.

Information for this article came from the exhibit itself, Marie Cole, marketing director at ArtisTree, obituaries and websites of all three artists, and the professional artists Joan Columbus and Elizabeth Moore of Grantham, as well as Michele Barr who accompanied me to this exhibit.

Elizabeth Moore was awed and commented that this was “brave.”

For an amazing array of workshops, camps and events devoted to art and its creation and enjoyment, find ArtsTree online and revel in the
offerings. www.artistreevt.org/exhibits, 802-457-3500. It’s a tremendous resource for Quechee residents.

What’s better than driving up on a Thursday or Friday evening and arriving in Quechee, says Chris Bunnell one sunny summer morning as he and his wife, Liz, and three sons were about to embark on an adventure to the top of Killington via the gondola for lunch. Chris certainly knew what he was doing when he bought his home on Wheelock Road. His parents Mary and Paul “PD” live right next door. Since his parents bought their vacation home in 2006, Chris, Liz, and siblings have enjoyed many good times in Quechee, and visited as often as they could.

The senior Bunnells moved to Quechee full-time after selling their home in Massachusetts this year. It was a gradual process for Chris and Liz to purchase a home here. Marriage, then children, mixed with full-time careers, and then says Chris, “An opportunity presented itself,” so the young Bunnells bought their own Wheelock Road haven in 2014, “and never looked back.”

Chris and Liz with their three sons, Topher, George, and Ford

When Chris realized what a great value ownership in Quechee was, the path was clear. The beauty, the amenities and the abundance of things to do were a draw always, plus the advantage of being near his parents. Chris and Liz are ambassadors for this Quechee life. Chris calls it “brand advocates.” They now have several friends and families who have bought homes in Quechee. And a few more they have influenced to rent. That means a bit more social life including “adults” only time.

To get that adults only time, the Bunnells have found Quechee Club staff to help with childcare. “It’s easy as we use the pool and other programs, and the staff get to know us. I feel like it’s safe for our children because of this,” he said, and “everyone is so friendly and helpful.” The senior Bunnells certainly are a great support for the young family next door. Chris’s sister, Sarah Baptie, lives in Bethel, VT, with her husband and toddler. They are often in Quechee and Chris says, “It’s just a matter of time before they buy here.” It’s hard not to share “the good life.”

Chris says that his parents knew that if they lived in a place that was attractive and fun for their offspring, they would be assured to see their children and children’s spouses and grandchildren way more than they might otherwise. Chris’s brother, William lives in West Roxbury, MA, with his wife who is expecting their first child

Last winter, at three-years-old Topher, Chris and Liz’s eldest child, could ski the whole Quechee Hill. He even has miniature golf clubs. George, at almost three, is right behind. Chris often practices with Topher and occasionally gets out on the links on his own.

Their full-time residence is in Weston, MA, and as Chris explains the neighboring clubs in the Boston area have high initiation fees and annual dues with only one real season to enjoy the amenities. “The reason Quechee has such a great value to us as a family is the fact that it offers four seasons of activities,” he says.

Once you drive into Vermont there are no traffic lights, no horn honking, no traffic and it’s a real change of pace from this family’s busy, involved and energetic week. Both Chris and Liz work full-time. Liz is Vice President of Marketing for Wolverine Worldwide – a publicly traded company that manages multiple shoe brands such as Sperry, Stride Rite, Saucony, and Merrell, as well as innovative apparel. Chris is a Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch. Both have to travel and their schedules require some clever planning; their youngest is just 3 months. One habit they maintain is that they leave their cell phones at the front door at the end of a workday for undistracted time with their boys.

Both University of Vermont graduates Chris and Liz have a strong connection to Vermont. Chris continued his education by earning a Master in Business Administration (Finance) degree from Boston University. Liz, who was born in Milton, MA, completed her Masters in Business Administration at Northeastern University in Boston.

Taking advantage of what Quechee has to offer

Skiing is the major winter sport for the Bunnells, and Chris serves on the Winter Sports Committee. The new Quechee Club pools are a huge asset for the Bunnells. Topher and George take swimming lessons from the recreation staff. Chris is also on the Fitness Committee and works with them to evaluate and improve programs and explore other services.

PD, William, Sarah, Chris, and Mary

Club events and programs for the younger set such as Ultimate Frisbee and Laser tag will attract the Bunnell boys very soon. They love other Quechee Club events such as the Cardboard Box Derby, Easter Egg Hunt and Après Ski gatherings. Fireworks are a big hit. “An expensive club expense, but worth it,” Chris says, and adds, “The new Après Ski arrangement (kids in the main dining room with their own food and entertainment) works like a charm. The kids are entertained while parents listen to the music and socialize with their friends in the Dewey’s deck area.

Chris put his name in the hat to sit on Quechee Lakes Landowners Association Board of Trustees. He did not win the seat in this July election in 2017, yet he knows he has many years ahead and will seek the next available opportunity to be a trustee on the club board. In the meantime, Chris continues to serve as a volunteer. He was active on the search committee for the new general manager.

He also contributes his time and talents to The Quechee Lakes Landowners Association Charities Board. In June, he could be found driving a golf cart around the courses for the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock (CHAD) Golf fundraiser organizing rides and cover for the various stations.

Another happy family who are delighted with their membership in the Quechee Club and all that comes with it.

In 1977, the Peter family of Connecticut bought a lot in Quechee and built a vacation home for their family of four children and their wider circle of active friends. Margot and Latham (Lee) loved skiing, tennis, hiking, as well any other sport that looked like fun. Their children followed suit.

Peter Peter, their third child, said his parents wanted a casual home, with an open feel and no grass to mow and many beds. His mom liked the opportunity to have family members and guests share in the cooking. Now it’s the next generation who enjoy the home in a key location near the clubhouse.

Well years later, it’s Peter, a part-time Quechee resident, in the kitchen. His father thought he was a very lucky man to find work he loved in Vermont and be able to support his family as well. After some years working elsewhere, Peter was drawn to a life in Vermont.

Bringing hands-on education to local schools

In 2004, Peter began consulting with DSM Environmental in Ascutney, Vermont, when he and his young family joined Cobb Hill, a co-housing community in Hartland. In 2007, when an ad appeared in the paper for someone to spearhead a new initiative—Farm to School, which would begin in the Hartland elementary school, Peter grabbed the opportunity. It was a part-time position allowing him to continue his work as an independent consultant on other environmental efforts, including helping coordinate the Woodstock Trails Partnership, which started the annual “Trek to Taste” event at the Marsh Billings Rockefeller National Historic Park. The Farm to School project that ensued was a delight to students and faculty, as well as the local farms that opened their properties and operations for hands-on education. They included gardens at schools, food tastings, field trips and so much more. Peter described one extended project, which turned into a moneymaker for the students. They grew pounds and pounds of tomatoes from 36 plants donated from the greenhouses at the Windsor Correctional Facility, with so much to spare they needed a plan for immediate consumption. So they made tons of their locally sourced salsa recipe, developed labels and sold many, many jars. Their profit was $800. The varied projects of the program were geared to enhance the children’s awareness of growing food, eating healthy food and using locally grown food. The “Let’s move” mantra of Michelle Obama was in full force, as well.

The reality of what is known as “food insecure” is that one in four Vermont children live in homes that have to choose between spending money on food and paying rent, gas and other expenses each month. The school meal programs are aware and address this deficiency. In Vermont there are key organizations that help to ameliorate the problem. Education regarding resources such as food banks, Vermont FEED, social services and others is part of the Farm to School program objective.

The Upper Valley Farm to School Network

In the next year, Peter jettisoned this small grant-supported program into the Upper Valley Farm to School Network involving more schools. He directed the network until 2014, when he handed off the management of this expanded organization to another non-profit, Vital Communities. The ideal happened, The Upper Valley Farm to School Network was now situated in a well-known and stable organization. “And they are doing a terrific job,” says Peter. He is now on the project’s advisory board.

Next and currently, Peter again expanded his reach to include all of New England. In 2011, he was asked to be the network director of the start-up Farm to Institutions New England (FINE.) Using his more than 35 years of experience in promoting local food sourcing, food education, food growers’ concerns, and in his knowledge of urban and environmental policy, he has been instrumental in forwarding the goals of the organization to a wider audience. “As one in four people in New England eat meals at schools, hospitals and on college campuses, it is clear that institutions are an important market for farmers. FINE has begun to work with large food service companies, as well as the local farms. Healthy eating, and just as importantly, the economy of the region are vital to the goals of FINE. Increasing local food production, and including expanding the use of fish, from the coastal states (all but Vermont), is their challenge,” he says. Peter explains that a recent study from American Farmland and Trust concludes that 30 percent of farmers in New England are likely to exit farming over the next decade. They cite that the outstanding majority have no one to take over. Yet with the bold food vision for New England: “50 in 60”—50 percent of food we consume will be produced in New England by 2060. Who knows? Maybe more city folk will be drawn to the life of a farmer or to some other facet of food production, especially with the added support they might enjoy.

In his spare time

Peter is the perfect young candidate to live in Vermont. He is fit and athletic and well educated. His sons—19 and 14—are, as well. They ski, hike, bike, play soccer and lots of other sports. Peter and his boys just hiked the over 4800-foot Mt. Moosilauke in New Hampshire on Father’s Day.

Peter rides in the 100-mile Point-to-Point Bike Race, an annual charity fundraiser for the Vermont Food Bank, which originates and ends at Harpoon Brewery. And even more, he substitutes as a bike guide in Vermont for Great Freedom Adventures, a company his college roommate’s sister started. It’s a nice change of pace to round out his active life.

“The participants are always surprised with the length and frequent occurrence of hills. They don’t expect it to be so hard, he says and adds, “Biking in Vermont is some of the best anywhere.”