Artful Moments

Laurie Kilgour-Walsh has been the Lead of Wellness and is now Head of Programs and Learning at the Art Gallery of Hamilton since 2006. During that tenure, Laurie has led educational and interpretive programs for audiences of all ages and abilities, creating programs that are responsive to the individual strengths and interests of participants. She is now developing a larger mandate for arts and wellbeing within the AGH's public program to support diverse audiences with a range of abilities and interests. Laurie led the inception of Artful Moments in 2009 and continues to lead it through numerous diverse initiatives in support of best practices in museum-based programs. Following many conversations with peers about Artful Moments, and how others can create similar experiences for their audiences, Laurie is excited to share the collected learning and experiences of the past decade through this project. With a background in fine art and art history, many years spent working in museums, and an eclectic collection of education and professional development experiences, Laurie brings a passion for art and museums, focusing on the socially connective and empowering potential of creative experiences. Laurie is also a practicing artist and an avid museum visitor. Janis Humphrey is retired nurse who worked in the field of dementia care for over twenty years. Janis holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing from McMaster University and a master’s degree in Health Administration from D’Youville University in Buffalo, New York.Janis has worked to raise the awareness of dementia, and its impact on the person and family, as well as examining the role communities can play to enhance the lives of those living with this disease. Janis was the clinical lead for the inception of Artful Moments in a hospital setting, and her knowledge and vision continue to guide this work. In partnership with the AGH, Janis has been researching the connection between art and dementia. Through the publication of their work, the focus has been to translate the findings and continue developing relationships between museums and people living with dementia. Museums are a trusted source of information and a valuable repository of knowledge. Janis believes that Artful Moments provides the framework to engage individuals in the world of museums. Through engagement, one can explore, share experiences, and create their own masterpiece. The Artful Moments model provides an opportunity to enhance an individual's sense of well-being. Janis believes in the importance of living in the moment; the emphasis is on the process, and the connections made along the way, which is where the joy lies. Maureen Montemuro graduated with a BScN from the University of Toronto followed by a MHSc degree from McMaster University. She retired in 2014 after working in the nursing field for 45 years. For the last 22 years of her career, she focused on clinical practice, education, and research with older adults and completed her career working as a clinical nurse specialist (CNS) in dementia care.As a CNS, Maureen worked with her institution and long-term care homes to develop, implement, and evaluate an educational program called Gentle Persuasive Approaches (GPA)in Dementia Care, to train healthcare staff across Canada. Later she became involved with the AGH in the development of Artful Moments. Since retiring, Maureen has volunteered at the AGH, playing a key role in designing, implementing, and evaluating Artful Moments, now presented for people living with dementia and their loved ones in the community. Maureen has found this volunteer work to be a mutually beneficial endeavor as she can contribute to the program because of her background while also developing knowledge and skill for herself in art appreciation and art making at the AGH in her retirement years – a win-win! Kathy Moros retired from her 38-year career as an Occupational Therapist in 2021. She dedicated most of her career to assessing and treating people living with dementia in a specialized inpatient hospital program, educating families and staff about dementia, presenting at conferences, and participating in dementia-related research. Kathy has also contributed to student learning by being a tutor and clinical preceptor for the Occupational Therapy program at McMaster University (Hamilton). Kathy has been part of Artful Moments since its inception, assisting with the initial development of the educational curriculum, participating in the associated research project, and publishing the research results. Although now retired, Kathy’s passion for the Artful Moments program continues as she volunteers her time to further develop the educational curriculum with the goal of expanding access to Artful Moments for people living with dementia in her local community and beyond. Shannon Stanners is Speech-Language Pathologist with Hamilton Health Sciences. A highlight of her career was her 11 years working with individuals with Dementia in the Behavioural Health Unit at St. Peter's Hospital. Enhancing communication with individuals with Dementia had always been a key focus and passion of her role on the team, working alongside Maureen and Kathy, under the inspirational leadership of Janis Humphrey. In Artful Moments, through their collaborative project with the AGH, she witnessed first-hand the happiness and engagement that the participants had during the program. She eagerly re-joined this incredible team, now extending the work to other museums. With clinical experience, as well as personal experience caring for loved ones with Dementia, she has experienced Artful Moments both as a team member and as a care partner alongside a participant in the Artful Moments program. She values the program deeply and has observed the positive impact on her loved one's engagement, social connectedness, confidence, and wellbeing. Founded in 1914, the Art Gallery of Hamilton is the oldest and largest art museum in Southern Ontario, with a permanent collection of over 11,000 objects that is recognized as one of the finest in Canada. The collection comprises historical Canadian and International art and contemporary Art and in recent years has focused on collecting work by Black, Indigenous, artists of color, and women artists. The exhibition program balances traveling exhibitions and work from the collection, often placing works from different times and places together to inspire a critical conversation. In the past decade, the AGH has delivered a public program focused on the power of visual art and exhibitions to enrich social connection, particularly when paired with experiential and creative learning. We have had particular success developing programs to address specific wellness needs and communities using the arts to support people's social, emotional, and physical well-being in meaningful ways, regardless of abilities, circumstances, or prior experiences with art.