My name is Sophia Spivey, I am a Junior at Pacific Grove High School, and my favorite elective for the past 3 years has been Mr. Kelley’s art class. Psychology has been a passion of mine for several years, and this sustained investigation gives me the opportunity to connect to people in a whole new way, and gain an in-depth understanding of human nature and social dynamics. My sustained investigation is about the stages of living with dementia, and the clash between the coexisting realities of patient and caretaker as they grow to accept each other.

I incorporate personal experiences and hours of research into every piece. Colored pencil is my preferred medium since the intricate detail allows for more complex symbolism, enhancing the stories I portray. My pieces delve into the perspectives of diverse familial relations throughout each progressing stage. With this tedious symbolism, I can break down the mental states behind human beliefs and actions throughout the chaotic and devastating process of losing a loved one who is still alive. I believe everyone deserves to be seen, and this portfolio is the medium through which I convey my ode to respect all resilient families, and members battling dementia.

My piece is called, “Is Love Eternal if Memory Dies?” Working as a caregiver for the elderly, I have bonded with a number of dementia patients, some of whom were sadly neglected or mistreated by their families. Since 2020 I have dedicated time each day to visiting and aiding the elderly who lack necessary support, or simply enjoy having a visit from a friend to look forward to. My community is my inspiration that stands over all, and creating art is a chance to recognize the care we give each other that keeps us all going. I hope to encapsulate the unique beauty I see in all of the triumphs and hardships of human nature. In the silence of forgetting, the heart whispers truths that words can no longer hold, reminding us that even as the mind unravels, the soul remembers how to feel. In this piece, that feeling is all that remains of the patient's beloved husband who met his untimely end at war. Their past together is illustrated one last time before her mind succumbs to decay, and her beloved dissipates along with the rest of the stories that define her, leaving her unidentifiable. The component I favor most is the cinema sign that reads, “you can return to the past but no one is waiting for you there,” as it encompasses the meaning of the piece as a whole. In the earlier stages, patients struggle to remember information short term, but their long term memory is impressively adept. However, as the condition progresses, memories dissipate further and further into the roots of one's existence, eradicating their sense of identity, and ripping the identities of their loved ones away from them. This is extremely frustrating, as her memories of the past are the only place she, along with her deceased relatives can exist. I use a minimal pallet to distinctly highlight red, the color of love and passion, but also the color of rage. This ties into my favorite poem verse from Dylan Thomas, “Rage against the dying of the light,” which I greatly associate with the grueling efforts to preserve as much remaining identity as possible in the midst of dementia, just as this patient fights to preserve all that is left of herself and the memory of her departed love.