Audrey Arno
Tuttle, OK    USA

Width: 9"   Length: 11.75"

Materials/Techniques: The border is pieced without foundations, while the central area contains drawn and colored cartoons (not the humorous kind) shaped in bubbles which are fused onto the backgrounds.

Artist's Statement: This is the tragic saga of the Lady in Blue who was an active, energetic and talented woman, interested in many things: travel, reading, music, exercise, shopping, being with her family and playing with the children among others. But gradually she began to have problems remembering things, tracking conversations and understanding the content of her reading material. Eventually her family took her to see a doctor and the answer was not good. She soon lost interest in so many areas, and this independent woman began to need help with her current affairs and planning for her future. She lost track of time, and spent much of day in front of the TV, not really understanding or caring about any of it. The children missed her love and companionship and were puzzled by her behavior. She began to wear strange and inappropriate clothing choices. She was frightened and angry at what was happening to her.

Then she began to wander off, away from the people who were helping her and had to be brought back for her own safety. The family and her friends gradually saw her as a ghost of her former self; the children were frightened, puzzled and sad, the adults were anxious, worried and angry at losing her to Alzheimer’s. They were encouraged to help her by taking her to an assisted living place where the caregivers were familiar with the effects of the disease and had the facilities to cope with them. She didn’t understand why she was there, away from her home, though she soon became accustomed to the environment.

But that didn’t stop the insistent worsening of the symptoms. The Lady in Blue was becoming helpless and totally dependent on her caregivers. But even with the diligent efforts of so many to find relief from Alzheimer’s so far there are no survivors of this menace. Her family mourned the end of the Lady in Blue hoping that money, time and science will soon find a way to keep others from the long siege of sadness they have had to endure.
Audrey Arno

Dedication: To the caregivers.

This quilt is displayed with Fast Finish Triangles.

Auction ends on October 10, 2013 at 10 p.m. (22:00 military time) Central Standard Time. Winners will be notified by email with payment instructions when the auction is over. Payment (Visa or MasterCard) is due by October 15th. Winners pay shipping via Priority Mail, plus insurance and 6% sales tax (MI residents only). Please read descriptions carefully. Note quilt size. All sales are final. Email quilt questions to AlzQuilts@aol.com. Email bidding questions to Auction@BenefitBidding.com. Your generous bids are appreciated by the artists who made these beautiful quilts and by everyone struggling to end this vile disease. The Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative (AAQI) is a national, grassroots effort to raise awareness and fund research through art. It is run entirely by volunteers. All profits are used to fund research.