May is Mental Health Awareness Month By Margaux WoskIt’s no secret: mental illness is still stigmatized. The discrimination is emotionally overwhelming. In my case, it piles on top of me like a ton of bricks I can’t carry. Being an Autistic person, I already struggle with understanding social …

My autistic point of view is the reason for my artwork. By Malcolm Wang I am a working artist, specializing in nature photography. I want to tell the story of how I became interested in photography. When I was a toddler, I did not sleep well and had a lot of challenges. Almost every day, I would h…

Practicing art helps me to come out of emotional pain of my past and reduces everyday stress. By Linish Balan Until the age of 28 I didn’t even draw a single flower properly. In childhood I never tried to draw anything by myself though I had a great fascination for visuals. In school days drawing c…

Mauricio and Claudia Urrea’s daughter Daniela inspired them to create an organization that partners with companies to find work for those on the autism spectrum. By Mauricio Urrea Spanish version here. 19 years ago, God chose us to take care of a special angel. As parents we never imagined how…

“Mental illness is the elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about, until they absolutely have to.” By Ryan Smoluk It’s a cold winter day in Manitoba, Canada. My art show “WAKE UP CALL” at the ArtBeat Studio has just come to an end. My mom and I have been busy packin…

By Linish Balan When my father died, I was so sad … no different than any other son in the world. Yet while taking the traditional bath after the funeral (in India people bathe after funerals), I started to laugh out loud very loudly. Fortunately, only one of my cousins was there with me at that ti…

Many people on the autism spectrum need a family member or a job coach to help facilitate successful employment. By Janice Killey Entering the workforce can be an exciting, yet challenging time for anyone who hasn’t done it before. However, when you’ve been diagnosed with autism it can be even more …

I am Syance and I would like to say that my experience at the California State Museum in Sacramento was a blessing and a miracle because I almost did not get to go.  When I received the email, which confirmed that the people in charge of the museum chose my artwork to be a part of this installa…

By Ron Sandison Last week at the Milestones 15th Annual Autism Conference in Cleveland, Ohio, my wife Kristen and I were on a panel with three other couples, discussing, “Love and Marriage on the Spectrum.” During this event, I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Fred Volkmar, Professor of Child Psychi…

“Young adults with autism need to get their butts out of the house and get a job! Work experience can start small walking dogs in the neighborhood or mowing lawns,” Temple Grandin By Ron Sandison Temple Grandin was standing in the back corner next to the stage as I entered the ballroom of Detroit Ma…

“Zach comes home every day from school crying about not having friends. and not knowing why people don’t like him. It’s very difficult to see. I wish I could help him more than I can,” Zach’s mom Vanessa says. By Fiona Russell According to the Center for Disease Control…

March is Women’s History Month, March 8 is International Women’s Day, and the week of March 6 is Women’s Week. Over the next few days The Art of Autism will be honoring 21 autistic women who are making a difference. Read Part 2 here. Read Part 3 here. According to a 2016 Scientific…

This week The Art of Autism is featuring 21 autistic women who are making a difference. This is part 3 of a 3-part series. Read Part 1 and Part 2. Autism is a wide spectrum that presents itself differently in females than males. The Art of Autism is grateful for the many autistic women who contribut…

March is Women’s History Month. This week The Art of Autism is featuring 21 women on the autism spectrum who are making a difference. This is part 2 of a 3 part series. Read Part 1 and Part 3. The Art of Autism is grateful for the many autistic women who contribute to a better understandi…