Painting has become a passion of mine, and I have my son's autism to thank for it. About nine months ago, I took my first watercolor class, and I have been hooked ever since. It's like a drug, like my morning cup of coffee - I gotta have it in order to function. Releasing the emotions that are inspired by the joy Ian brings to my life, as well as all of the turmoil, is a necessary part of my day. Paint and paper are able to take those feelings and help me create something meaningful and, hopefully, something beautiful.
One of the best things to happen over this artistic journey is the transformation of how I see Ian and how we relate to each other. His behavior makes me less angry than it used to because I spend more time observing him, less time giving commands. I photograph him more when he is being tender and loving so those pictures can remind me that he is not always seething with anger or terrified and anxious. Together, we spend more time holding each other just because, and less time doing "the squeeze" to help him recenter himself. Ian has become one of my favorite artistic subjects.
Over several weeks I thought about how to visually represent the truths about autism as I see them. The culmination of those ideas was completed today in the painting in the sidebar. I plan to sell prints of this painting and donate the profits to The Association for Science in Autism. I believe they are on the right track to helping families find answers - not guesses, not quackery, not false hope. We've had enough of those.
So if you like it and it says something to you, send me an email by clicking on my profile. I'll be happy to give you the details about how you can purchase a print. If my beliefs on the subject are too strong for your taste, that's fine too. It's not personal. It's just life.
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