Painting with Vascular Dementia'

These year by year collections contain original oil paintings and some popular reproductions.

 
A LOOK AT LIFE THROUGH THE PAINTINGS OF REX MARSDEN


Rex Marsden first began painting real pictures using oil paints on canvas about 15 years ago when he was under an ocupational therapist recovering from a stroke. Reluctant at first and fighting a degenerative disorder he started his art career with landscape painting and was eventually inspired by joining 'The Ambleside & District Art Society' where he discovered his hidden talent. He progressed to painting ancient buildings of character and then soon developed his own style of portrait painting hopeing to follow the style of the old masters and pre-raphelites.

During the years that followed, several times Rex found himself in hospital recovering from a number of mini strokes. He believes that all the knocking and probing into his head has triggered off the beginnings of a rare Vascular Dementia sometimes called 'Moyamoya'. Curiously his assertive personality changed after taking a combination of Benzodiazepines. He aged quickly and lost his enterprising business character. By the turn of the centuary he became more relaxed and in harmony with his situation. Despite a tremor in his right hand his painting improved immensly, and each day he became focused on four or five hours painting. But his desire to come off the prescribed drugs made him distressed and irresponsible.

Rex was soon able to hide his farcical behaviour. He became a compulsive oil painter with little interest in world events or even the sale or destination of his work. When one painting is completed and left to dry, another canvas was sketched out and painting begins again. There were no shortage of beautiful views to feed his obsession, for Rex lived with his caring wife Carole in the heart of the English Lake District, in the delightful Great Langdale Valley. The home of many accomplished artists. 

Rex Marsden believes the healing process of his stroke was undoubtedly helped due to the creative side of visual art. However, after a decade of refusing to allow the symptoms of Alzheimers Dementia take control of his life. He knows the consequences and is philosophical about it. Rex says 'A Brain Injury' is a horrid preditor that you can't run away from, no matter how hard you try' and claims that laughter is his best medication; therefore he would hide his true feelings behind nonsensical chatter and a wonderful sence of humour.

Now in his 70th year, still fighting a 'Moyamoya type Disorder' with over 150 original paintings to his name, and having served a somewhat remarkable self tought apprenticeship with his contempories in art, he has developed an impressive style reminiscent of a story book illustrator. Yet as we look forward to his next collection of oil paintings in 2011, Rex thought that he was making a slow recovery, but it wasn't so, his Dementia was still attacking his faculties, particularly his memory. Rex who is trying to get himself back into his routine, has little interest in anything other than the image on the canvas he is painting.  

With the summer of 2011 approaching Rex Marsden seems to have lost his desire to paint any more. He has become lethargic, almost burnt out. He prefers to sit solitary and avoids noise, bright lights listening only to music with thoughts on times gone by. I fear his time for painting if any is becoming a chore. The twisted tubes of oil paints along with hard dirty brushes lie abandoned in his studio, nine clean new canvases await their sketches. I'm afraid that Dementia is slowly claiming another victim, and as yet no one knows how to motivate people like Rex Marsden the artist. but who knows what 2012 will bring? Rex Marsden and his wife have relocated to Burton on the border of his native county Lancashire to be closer to their daughter. Inspired by this move it appears that Rex is not ready to quit: