Madeline Ludtke: Discovering new artists, every day
You never know where you might find Therapeutic Arts Manager Madeline Ludtke. She travels between all seven 2Life campuses providing art therapy for residents, so she is always in motion. But you will certainly know she is around when you see “Art the Cart,” the supply wagon decorated with Madeline’s trademark googly eyes that travels with her everywhere. In fact, all Madeline’s supplies are decorated with googly eyes. “I just like to hide them everywhere and make people laugh,” she says.
Bringing joy to residents comes naturally to Madeline, who believes that everyone has the potential to be creative. As an art therapist, she helps people access that creativity in an atmosphere she describes as “failure free.”
Madeline discovered art therapy when she took a life-changing trip to Thailand after graduating with a BFA degree from the University of Wisconsin. “I volunteered with a program that was doing art workshops for different marginalized communities around the city of Chiang Mai. Every day we would travel to a different organization and do art with people of all ages and backgrounds—orphaned kids, children with disabilities, seniors, or survivors of trafficking. It was very rewarding, and that’s what introduced me to the idea of using art for wellness and healing.”
From there, Madeline earned her master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling and art therapy from Lesley University. She has been an expressive arts therapist at 2Life since 2023, using various modalities to reach as many people as possible—including those who may otherwise seem unreachable.
According to Debbi Cutler, Director of Health and Aging Programs, “Many people, for a variety of reasons, have difficulty connecting with others or verbally communicating. But with expressive therapy, they're learning together, creating together, and having fun together. So it provides a great coping mechanism.”
Madeline hones her own artistic skills by creating mixed media collages, paintings, and illustrations. But she says that her most inspiring creations are the connections she has forged with residents.
“The coolest part of my job is working with people who maybe didn't do art before moving to 2Life, and then they try it and find joy in doing that. As people age and perhaps develop dementia, certain language abilities or memories may start to fade, but the ability to be creative does not. It’s still there. It's so powerful to use the expressive arts to access that. You get to see people come alive.”
