Dobby – little ducky, huge impact

Imagine: a turquoise duck with gold cracks on its head. Sweet, headstrong, and always close by. That's Dobby: an art object, a conversation starter, and, if you ask me, a positive symbol with big plans.

What Dobby Does (and Why It Works)
Dobby softens something that often feels heavy: talking about dementia. The golden cracks refer to kintsugi: fractures that you don't hide, but rather mend with gold. That image helps. It brings lightness to the conversation, warmth, and sometimes humor. It's precisely there that space is created to share and find small solutions together.

The Dobby House in one breath
Dordrecht is home to the Dobbyhuis: a creative day center where people with early-stage dementia create, laugh, share stories, and are seen. No complicated protocols, just paint on the table, aprons on, and attention paid to who you are today.

The way of working
We work with a goal-oriented, creative approach, within artistic frameworks. Short, clear steps: a warm welcome, a small, always-successful assignment, sharing the results, and a soft conclusion. No complex metrics, just a sharp focus on stimulus levels, moments of brilliance, and feasibility.

There are many ways to participate
• Come and see us or plan an introduction (case managers and care teams welcome).
• Paint your own Dobby, at home, in the Dobby house or with your team.
• Use the books to open the conversation at home or at school.
• Want to set something up together? From trial series to train-the-trainer: we'll take care of the materials and planning.

Frequently Asked Questions, Ultra Short
• Is this "crafting"? No. This is purposeful, creative work with artistic quality.
• Do you need talent? No. If you can choose a color or draw a line, you can participate.
• What if someone gets overstimulated quickly? We work with low-stimulus focus, one thing at a time, with breaks.
• What does it yield? Focus and enjoyment, tangible results, and words for memories that would otherwise fade away.

Why this is important now
Creativity is often the first thing to go, yet it can actually be the glue between people and their environment. Dobby isn't a miracle cure, but he is a friendly starting point that opens instead of closing. That's worth its weight in gold.

Feel like doing something today?
Are you a case manager or healthcare professional? Schedule a short introduction at the Dobby House and experience the atmosphere in 30 minutes. Interested in painting a Dobby as an artist or team? Let us know; we'll provide the materials and a simple setup. Do you have a group or class and want to see if this is a good fit? One message is enough, and we'll create a proposal that starts small.

Kind regards,

Erica de Winter
Mail: erica@dobbyinternational.com