Autistry Newsletter – November 13, 2012
Posted By Janet Lawson, MFT on November 13, 2012
We are all finally recuperating from the Autistry Faire. It was a great success and a wonderful combination of fun, fantasy and a fabulous showcase for the student projects.
Check out the Faire to Remember blog for more photos. The Faire will become our signature fundraising event. So mark your calendars for Sunday, October 27, 2013.
And mark your December calendars for the ABC7 special, Profiles in Excellence featuring Autistry Studios. The film crew spent an entire Friday with us talking to the students, filming the projects, and interviewing Dan, Janet, and Courtenay. The crew returned on the 27th to film the Faire and to interview Ian S.
We haven’t seen the finished piece yet but we know they have found archival footage of Ian when he was 3 years old and part of the just-formed MCOE Autism Early Intervention Program at Marindale. At that time, Ian was non-verbal and no one could predict where he would be as a teenager. At 17, Ian is talking up a storm! He did the interview with the ABC7 producer, Laura Kutch and her photographer, Lorne Morrison all by himself. We are all eager to hear what he had to say. The show will air on Sunday, December 2 at 10:00am on ABC 7 / KGO TV.
Last spring Gloria Simoneaux visited Autistry Studios. And she fell in love with what she saw. Gloria is the founder of Harambee Arts, a nonprofit organization partnering with African and Nepali grassroots programs to train local caregivers to provide art programs for vulnerable children. Many of the children she works with have autism. Gloria is determined to connect the Autistry students with her African students in hopes that all will benefit.
Our first communication was a small book of photos of Autistry students and their Little World Boxes. These projects were created in the Summer 2012 Autistry workshop led by Courtenay. Each box represents something special to the student and tells a story about who they are. Gloria brought the book to Nairobi, Kenya and showed it to her students.
The response was pure delight. The African students loved meeting the Autistry students through the artwork. They immediately created a wonderful painting and sent it back with Gloria. We believe this is the beginning of a long and productive relationship!
And speaking of relationships, the one between Autistry and SLM Creative is very productive. Suzi Lee Musgrove, owner/creative director of SLM, has been helping our students realize thier visions by providing graphic design and printing instruction. Owen Bragg is now working on his fourth book, Victor and Nathaniel Hecht created a wonderful Dragonology Coloring Book. Suzi discusses her work in this video piece produced by Sean Nipper:
NOTE: Autistry will be closed for the Thanksgiving Holiday – Thursday Nov. 22nd through Sunday Nov 25th.
Best wishes from the Autistry Team!
I’ve enjoyed discovering your program online and think it’s fantastic that so many young people are enjoying the masterful ideas you are putting into action. Smiles on the faces of the staff and guest instructors show that this kind of dedication has its own rewards.
We are also involved in the Great Adventure to bring creativity and innovation to the field of Autism. If we weren’t a coast apart, I’d stop in for a tour and invite you to do the same!
Peggy Chapman
Assistant Director, Y.A.L.E. School, Cherry Hill, NJ