Making art is like having a conversation with my subconscious.
Art has had a profound impact on my life in that it allows me to connect with people in ways that I’m not able to as a low-verbal individual on the autism spectrum. As a child, my doodles and drawings had occasionally gotten me into trouble at school. One on occasion during the 6th grade, my math teacher sent my class doodles home to my parents. The teacher thought I should be paying more attention to the lesson instead of drawing during class. Unfortunately, my parents agreed with the teach and my early art career was stifled.
Despite early set backs in pursuing art, for much of my adult and professional life, I continued to draw abstract and surreal doodles on my notepads and journals. Doodling was a way to find focus during a meeting or conference. Although, it wasn’t until I was in my 40s that I started taking my art more seriously again; working with photography, paint, and pencil. Art brings me so much joy and I am grateful to have rekindled my connection to it. I continue to evolve my art in new ways and appreciate the joy that it brings to me.
Stay open, be curious, ask.