May 28, 2026
The Opening of Memory Support
In 2025, Ensō Village reached an important milestone with the opening of its memory support neighborhood, completing the full continuum of care envisioned when the community first welcomed residents in 2023. In a way that reflects the spirit of the community, residents themselves helped shape how that new space would feel and function.
Resident Artists Step Forward
Ensō Village is home to a vibrant community of talented artists whose work already fills the halls of the independent living residences. When community residents first toured the memory support neighborhood before opening, many felt the artwork originally selected by contractors for the corridors did not reflect the unique artistic culture residents had cultivated.
Resident and founding visionary, Susan O’Connell, invited fellow artists to come together and reimagine the space. The group formed a committee and partnered with memory care consultant, Megan Carnarius, Consulting Clinical & Memory Care Specialist for Kendal, to better understand how art can support the well-being of people navigating cognitive challenges.
Through a series of discussions and learning sessions, residents explored how imagery, color, familiarity and texture can influence comfort and connection. They considered how artwork could evoke a sense of place and spark memories connected to the landscapes of Sonoma County.
Art that Evokes Place and Memory
Resident artist, Betty Nelson, contributed a series of forest pathway paintings that gently draw the viewer into scenes of redwood groves and quiet wooded trails. The images were intentionally chosen for their calming qualities and familiarity. As Megan observed during the process, the paintings seem to say to residents walking the corridor, “You have walked these paths. You have seen these trees.”
The result was a collaboration between residents, professional guidance and community leadership. Artists throughout Ensō Village donated and curated works that now line the corridors of the memory support neighborhood, creating an environment that feels authentic to the community rather than designed from the outside.
A Permeable Community
The project also reflects a broader philosophy shared across Kendal Affiliates in which individuals living with cognitive change remain part of the larger community. Rather than separating memory support from the life of the community, Ensō Village has intentionally worked to create a “permeable environment” in which residents across many residential areas with varying levels of support of living remain connected.
For the artists involved, the effort carried a deeper meaning. By contributing their work, they were not simply decorating a hallway; they were helping shape a place that could one day support neighbors, friends and even themselves.
Rooted in Place, Aligned in Values
Today, the artwork throughout the memory support neighborhood reflects the character of Ensō Village itself: a place where creativity, compassion and collaboration shape daily life. In that way, the community remains both distinct in place and united in values, with residents actively contributing to the environment in which they live and age.
