Dementia 2 – Confusion

House of Smalls


A new exhibition at the House of Smalls called ‘Between the Lines’ prompted me to create a new piece of work called ‘Dementia 2 – Confusion ’ for the Dollhouse gallery

‘Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light.’ ~ Dylan Thomas. ‘Between The Lines’, an exhibition relating to ageing and all that comes with it.

House of Smalls
Exhibition artists
Exhibition artists

The exhibition takes place at The House of Smalls, Cambrook Court, High Street, Chipping Campden, Glos GL55 6AT from 3rd February – 2nd March 2024.

About the artwork: Dementia 2 – Confusion

For years I was unsure what ‘living with dementia’ actually meant, then in early 2023 the meaning became very clear. A family member started displaying signs of confusion. On reflection, we realised that there’d been subtle symptoms of Dementia there for some time – the kind of symptoms that aren’t really noticeable when you see someone day to day – until you start to question it.

Dementia is devastating. It’s a rollercoaster of physical exhaustion, and emotional and mental anguish for both patient and carers.

This piece is part of a series about an experience of Dementia and in particular Vascular Dementia.

Dementia 2 – Confusion

“Nothing feels the same…. I don’t know what’s going on” Mary S. 2023.

In the earlier stages, memory loss and confusion may be mild. The person with vascular dementia may be aware of — and frustrated by — the changes taking place, such as difficulty recalling recent events, making decisions or processing what was said by others. In the later stages, memory loss becomes far more severe. – Alzheimer’s Association.

Being forgetful, absentminded, or not quite remembering are often put down to old age or even menopause – but when does it become noticeable that there is something more going on?

Size 11.5 x 11.5cm. Hand embroidered cotton cloth, vintage Sylko thread.

Vascular dementia is the second most common type of dementia. – Alzheimer’s Research UK.

Dementia 2 - Confusion
Dementia 2 – Confusion

This is one of a series of small artworks that I’ve created that fit in perfectly with the scale of the Dollhouse exhibition.

Update: ‘Between the Lines’ dollhouse exhibition