Talented artist pours her heart into charity exhibition to raise awareness of dementia

An award-winning painter has boosted a research charity after hosting an exhibition in honour of her sister who has dementia.

Fine art painter Angela Scott teamed up with leading ceramist Caroline Pearce for the special fundraising event, which raised money for Alzheimer’s Research.

Angela’s sister, Jenny Holbrook, has been living at the Pendine Park’s Hillbury Care Home in Wrexham since March after her health deteriorated during the first lockdown.

The talented artist wanted to show her gratitude to the staff at the home for their care and dedication and hosted an exhibition in the studio of her home at Sodylt Home Farm, Ellesmere, Shropshire.

The event saw the fine art painter sell 10 paintings, raising in excess of £3,500 while her colleague, Carolina Pearce, donated £525 to the causes.

Angela will also be making a donation to stage a musical evening for residents at the Hillbury Care Home.

Angela, 78, said: “Jenny was a terribly active woman – she was Mayor of Knutsford four times. It was so interesting to hear about what she had achieved being Mayor over those years.

“It was very touching and quite emotional for me to meet the current Mayor of Knutsford, Cllr Stewart Gardiner and Cllr Jan Nicholson, at the event. Cllr Gardener wore his ceremonial chain for Jenny so that it could help bring back some memories of her four terms in Office.

“Jenny, I could see, really enjoyed it. Her lovely next door neighbour Kate came along too and there was faint recognition there.

“For me personally, I was also absolutely delighted to be exhibiting in public again. I’ve not been able to show my work for such a long time. I was exhibiting in the Willow Gallery in Oswestry last year and then we went into lockdown and my paintings were not seen.

“I didn’t know how well it would be received but it was amazing. My gardener hung the paintings to perfection and the studio looked absolutely lovely.

“It was wonderful to see so many of Jenny’s former colleagues come along. Jenny is one of many people suffering with this wretched disease and it would be wonderful if they could find a cure. You hear more and more people succumbing to dementia.

“I’ve said I would some of the proceeds to go towards a music evening, something the residents can appreciate and move along to once Covid has gone away. I think music is important for dementia therapy, it lights something up in them.

“The home is absolutely thrilled. Carolina loved it too and was so happy to contribute towards these causes.”

Jenny was taken to see the exhibition by Cindy Clutton, the manager of Hillbury.

She said: “Staging the fundraising exhibition was a wonderfully generous gesture by Angela who is a fantastically talented and sought after artist.

“It was hugely appropriate that she was raising money for Alzheimer’s Research which is a cause that is close to her heart.

“The arts are a part of daily life at Pendine Park, whether that’s our regular art classes or music so the contribution from Angela will be put to very good use.

“The arts enrich the lives of our residents and staff alike and has a positive impacts on quality of life and wellbeing.”

Until her illness, 90-year-old Jenny lived a full and active life. She is a former England Reserves Lacrosse player, Cheshire County tennis player and four times Mayor of Knutsford.

She wrote a book on the Art of Movement and Dance based on the Laban movement and taught all her life, firstly in Wythenshawe in Manchester and then in Canada before moving on to West Sussex College.

Angela, who has two sons and four grandchildren aged between 17 and 11, grew up in Altrincham and studied Fine Art and Pottery at Manchester College of Art and Design, graduating in 1964.

Her large watercolour paintings, which reflect the beauty of nature in and around Wales, have been exhibited extensively throughout the UK including at the RWS Bankside Gallery in London and the Air Gallery Dover Street, London, as well as winning countless prizes.

Witnessing her sister’s deterioration has brought great pain and sadness and she decided she wanted to do something positive to help raise awareness of the disease.

Angela added: “On my recent visit, I was able to talk to Jenny about Knutsford and she was very content. It was a chapter in her life when she was very happy. It’s such an important thing for me to see her happy and safe and being well cared for. It takes a whole stress off my shoulders.

“Cindy was so kind on her day off to bring Jenny across to be part of the day, that meant so much to me.

“I really hope the exhibition has raised awareness of this disease. That’s what I wanted to do, to see how I could help. Everyone I talked to had somebody in their family or a relation impacted by dementia, it affects so many people and it really brings it home.”