ABBY SIVY & CINDY PARKER
Abby and Cindy are a creative match made in heaven for Purple Art. Both lifelong makers and artists, we each bring something crucial to the mix. Abby has formal art training from Parsons School of Design in NYC and has been teaching art for decades to people of all ages. Cindy has fifteen+ years of activity director experience and loves working with older adults. Both of us believe that EVERYBODY is an artist, that making art heals and soothes, and that it is never too late to continue or start something new! Our experiences as a team creating with seniors have been profoundly exciting and gratifying.
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We would love to meet you and tell you about our work.
We promise, our excitement about what we do is
CONTAGIOUS!
Our dedicated team of facilitators and volunteers are trained in art facilitation and working with elders and people with cognitive impairment. We are trained Community Educators through the Alzheimer's Association of Colorado and are endorsed by them as
Art Partners.
KATIE KOCH
Katie has been teaching art with a focus in ceramics since 2017. She loves sharing the creative process with students of all ages and from all walks of life. She specializes in both wheel throwing and functional hand building. She began volunteering with Bohemia and Purple Art in 2022, after following the ladies on a wonderful art retreat in Paris . She assists with the weekly painting classes at TRU PACE in Lafayette, and truly adores working with older adults. She also offers occasional pottery workshops at Bohemia on a seasonal basis. When not in her studio, Katie can be found hiking or cross country skiing with her dog (and pottery assistant) Sophie.
ANNA SILKOFF
I moved to Boulder from Philadelphia a few years ago to be nearer to our grandkids. I have had a variety of careers..I trained as a children’s dentist, became a yoga teacher later in life and in parallel painted whenever I could. My artistic interest is in abstraction.
I have taught yoga to the prison population and people suffering from addiction. My mother suffered from Alzheimer’s for the last 5 years of her life and I feel that I have a deep understanding of this condition.
I feel very privileged to be involved with the Purple Art program!
DOVE WEISSMAN
Dove's background is in teaching adults and children, meditation and bodywork. She believes that through the therapeutic process of art making, we find the human spaces of body - culture - story - images - symbols - thoughts - and emotions. In facilitating art, we create conditions for exploration, permission for presence, play and peace.​ At Purple art we practice compassionate creativity: listening, noticing, paying attention, so that we may understand ourselves and our world, and choose to amplify health, love, beauty and wisdom.
PEGGY DOYLE
JENNIFER JARRETT
My art journey started in 3rd grade, when I won an
art contest. My grandmother was an artist that nurtured my talent. I attended Moore College of Art in Philadelphia and majored in illustration. My professional career was as an advertising designer and art director for 2 Boulder companies. I currently freelance for various clients.
I am very excited to join the Purple Art program, as I have an affinity for the older adults and learning about who they
are, truly enjoying
their company. Purple Art is such a wonderful team and I am very excited to be out there with them and meet new friends, have fun and explore creativity with them!
Jennifer has devoted her life to helping others heal and grow through the transformative
power of art. As a Registered Art Therapist and Intuitive Artist, she creates a unique safe
space where creativity and emotional wellness meet. Her pioneering leadership in Art in
Medicine programs has guided both adults and children through their cancer journeys
using art as a healing tool. Her compassionate approach and innovative methods have
earned recognition from The National Endowment for the Arts as a model of excellence in
the field.
LADONNA BARKER
With 16 years of experience as an elementary school art teacher, I have a passion for fostering creativity for all ages. In addition to teaching, I’ve also had the privilege of volunteering as an art facilitator for the Memories in the Making program, where I helped seniors with Alzheimer’s disease to create in a non verbal way and capture precious moments through art.
I believe in the power of the creative process, focusing on joy, conversation and the social aspect while creating art rather than the final product. My approach in community settings is to create a safe, welcoming environment where self expression is encouraged. I am excited to be a part of Purple Art’s team of facilitators and the opportunity to work with seniors again.
