Finding a Way Back: The Story Behind Pixel & Paper Curations
Mom with her father, June 1946, England
For years, a quiet distance had settled between my mother and me. When dementia began to steal her words and memories, that distance felt like an impassable gulf. I eventually committed to visiting her weekly in the memory care unit of an assisted living facility, but I often found myself sitting in a chair beside her, lost in a silence that felt heavier than our unspoken past.
How do you connect with someone who is slowly drifting away? How do you share an experience when conversation fails?
Unsure of what else to do, I opened an old photo album on one of my visits. I didn't have a grand plan. I just hoped to bring a flicker of familiarity into her world.
I opened it to a picture of her as a toddler, being held by her father. I watched her face as she looked at the image. The fog seemed to part for just a moment. She pointed, a faint smile on her lips. In that instant, we weren't a patient and a visitor; we were a mother and a daughter, sharing a memory.
That moment became our bridge.
Week after week, photos became our language. We didn’t need complex sentences. A picture of her wedding day brought a soft look to her eyes. A snapshot of me as a child prompted a smile. In our final months together, these curated moments of connection rebuilt a relationship I thought was lost forever.
This journey taught me something profound: a collection of photos is not just about preserving the past; it's a powerful tool to create connection and meaning in the present. It was a voice for my mother and a lifeline for both of us.
That experience was the seed that grew into Pixel & Paper Curations.
My 33 years as a speech-language pathologist has taught me that communication is more than words, but this journey with my mother showed me the power of a visual language. I created this service to merge these two parts of my life—the professional expertise and the deeply personal understanding of what it means to seek connection in difficult times.
My mission is to help you navigate the overwhelm of your own family archives. Whether you are managing an estate, honoring a loved one, or trying to find your own bridge to a family member with dementia, I am here to help you curate your photos into a meaningful legacy.
I'm calling this blog The Curator’s Desk. It’s a place where I'll share more stories, practical tips, and insights into the power of photos to heal, connect, and tell our stories.
Thank you for being here. This work is deeply personal, and I am honored to help you with your own journey.
Warmly,
Dawn Puzzio
Founder, Pixel & Paper Curations, LLC