Music has been a bridge for me to show who I really am to others. You can’t hear autism in music. Sound, melody, and rhythm are immune to disabilities. My name is Breyton Croom. I am 24 years old from Morristown, New Jersey, and I am autistic with a diagnosis of Pervasive Developmental Disorde…

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…

“Low pitched notes really make me feel like love might be truly possible.  High pitched notes make me feel like I could go  crazy with pain and sadness. Great rhythms can make me feel like life is freedom.” By Jeremy Sicile-Kira Music makes my life feel normal sometimes because…

By Ryan Smoluk I have always been fascinated by the National Geographic magazine. The photographs are amazing. It helped to connect me to the world around me. That was back in the days before the internet. Looking back now I understand that the magazine helped develop my artistic ability and encoura…

Hillary Krzywkowski is looking for interesting emotional selfies and photographs for an art project. She wants faces expressing emotions such as shock, surprise, anger, rage, irritation, sadness, contentment, jealousy, critical, excited, elated, proud, teasing, annoying, silly, enjoyment. “Faces: My…

By Gaelle S. Warner I am an Autodidact. (Editor’s note: An Autodidact is a person who learns about a subject with little or no formal education. Gaelle Werner is a self-taught artist). I have been painting and taking photos for more than 20 years now. Three cities have shaped my artistic influ…

New Jersey program serves autistic teens and adults by Colleen Hordichuk, Art Therapist Nine years ago, I joined the staff of my local high school as a paraprofessional in a brand new Autism program. I was chosen to be part of this new team because of my background in art therapy. It didn’t ta…