“A meltdown is a highjack of our emotions.” Ron Sandison By Ron Sandison Most neurotypicals pay little attention to their sensory processing. When you feel cold, you put on a sweater. When music is too loud, you turn down the volume. For me and many other people with autism, our senses provide unrel…

Artist Ryan Smoluk shares his process of learning and painting about Mozart this last year. Cover image: Ryan Smoluk “Ode to Mozart” By Ryan Smoluk So much has changed in the past couple of year on a global level. The pandemic caught us all off guard, so many are still struggling. We ar…

By Ron Sandison December 7th, my wife Kristen and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary. One of the challenges I experienced with autism was relationships. While dating, I had difficulty filtering my comments and unusual behavior: a lack of eye contact, monotone speech, and I often nervously tap…

By Nils Skudra As a fan of the Harry Potter franchise, I always enjoy watching scenes from the films or reading excerpts from the books. One character I am especially intrigued by is Hermione Granger, Harry’s academically gifted and fiery best friend whose intellectual skills prove vital in the succ…

By Aaron Bouma As an autistic that studies conflicts around the world I have been monitoring the situation in Ukraine for a long time. Of course I knew it was coming but February 24, 2022, was anything but a normal night. When missile strikes and armoured units started coming across the Ukrainian bo…

“Many churches attempt to make accommodations for individuals with disabilities that does not necessarily mean that people with disabilities are included in the life and community of the church and leadership.” Krysia Waldock By Ron Sandison I was excited to interview Krysia Waldock, a P…

We understand when people are distressed. I can smell the endorphins. By John Testore I suffer for others and I’m always misunderstood for that. People think I want to always be in control. In fact it is my way of prioritizing. I know I’m good at prioritizing. I don’t like acting on inst…

“As a public representative I will speak very loudly for our most vulnerable people with mental/physical disabilities and our seniors in our community.” Ashan Fernando By Ron Sandison Editor’s Note: This is an informative article. The Art of Autism nonprofit does not endorse s…

By Steven Bereznai During the first COVID lockdown, I really struggled because I was cut off from the organized weekly social outlets I had in my calendar, particularly the masters water polo I’ve trained with for more than 10 years. So, I pursued a long-ignored dream, which was to create a graphic…

Resilience is a key strength for autistic people. By Catherine Londero I was once told by a preschool assistant that “your son needs to work on his resilience.” I couldn’t disagree more. It struck me that so often autistic people, particularly children, are judged by their behaviour. A…

By Nils Skudra One of the most compelling musical films that relates to neurodiversity and social anxiety is Dear Evan Hansen, a 2021 adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical about an isolated high school senior who becomes the motivational force behind a campaign for mental health awareness fol…

“You are always one decision away from a totally different life.” Author Unknown By Ron Sandison As a young adult with autism I often struggled with making decisions and taking healthy risks. After employment and relationships this was my greatest challenge. I have learned to take risks …

Header Image: Kabir Vernal “Coloured Hands” Hand imprints of Kabir Outlined and Coloured in using Acrylic Marker Pens on Ivory Paper. Kabir is a 10-year old mostly non-speaking child who loves playing with sticky textures, colors and the process of creating art. This is the Art of Auti…

The Art of Autism’s Art and Poems for Peace 2022 Post #4 By Robbie P. I am very excited at the opportunity to participate in this year’s The Art of Autism’s 7th Annual Peace Project. World peace has always been a very important tenant throughout my life. After graduating university with…