Art therapy
Take art
to heart
Creating art can be a lifeline
for some people with autism.
As well as offering a means of
self-expression, it can provide a
way of socialising and a sense of
freedom. Report by Fiona McNeill
Long before the development of
the written word, humans were
daubing on cave walls and
chiselling shapes into pieces of
stone as a way of communicating
with each other.
Thousands of years later, we
Jacqueline Brown: have mobile phones, TVs and
In art therapy they computers. Yet the need to create
enjoy the freedom of and understand visual images
being able to do what remains an important part of
they want human life all over the world.
For people with autism, the
visual arts can be a lifeline.
Jacqueline Brown is a senior
autism practitioner at Scottish
Autism and has an MSc in Art
Psychotherapy. She runs art
therapy sessions on a one-to-one
and group basis with children and
adults with ASD. Most of her clients
12 Au t i s m | e y e I s s u e 2 7 2 0 1 7
struggle with the impact autism has
on their lives.
In general terms, she explains,
art therapy is about using art
materials as part of a conversation
with a therapist. Doing so gives
people a different method of
exploring their thoughts and
feelings. For some people with
autism, however, using the art
materials may be their only way of
expressing themselves.
Art as communication
Many people with autism are so
visual, Brown continues.
We use lots of symbols with
them in schools and residential
settings, so it makes sense to
use art as a communication tool
as well.
In art therapy, people dont need
any skill in drawing or painting, nor
do they need to produce a finished
piece of work. Sessions are tailored
to meet the needs of each client;
people are allowed to choose the
materials they use and what they
do with them.
There can be a lot of frustration
for people with ASD, Brown says.
Theyre told to do things and they
might not understand why. In art
therapy they enjoy the freedom of
being able to do what they want.
Some people enjoy the social
involvement of being in a group.
For others, the art can be a
physical outlet the paint is
thrown, the paper might get ripped
and thrown in the bin or they might
produce repetitive drawings.
www.autismeye.com
Reaching high: an artwork by Bivek,
one of the Artistic mentees
These people
have real talent
Mentoring scheme helps group
of artists develop their ideas
Two years ago artist and special
needs teacher Colin Sugden came
across three young men with ASD.
All were talented artists or
designers who had jobs but were
floundering in the workplace. Either
their employers didnt understand
their needs or, worse, they were
exploiting them.
Realising they needed help,
Sugden and colleagues Richard
Dolinski and Chris Roberts set up
Artistic, a mentoring scheme for
artists with autism.
The three young men began
working full-time from a studio in
Art therapy Sugdens garage in west London
in action: and are still there. They are
two clients supported to develop their ideas
of Scottish and extend their skills and receive
Autisms advice on marketing their prints
sessions. Far and paintings.
left: Stevie They have been joined by seven
creates an more part-time members, who work
artwork by remotely due to a lack of space. All
flicking paint the mentees regularly exhibit their
and, near left, work and all have made sales.
Laura creates Were not just putting any old
Some people a picture of a pictures on a wall these people
enjoy the social unicorn have real talent, Sugden points
out. When were in the studio,
involvement of being autism is never mentioned. Were
in a group. For others, working with them as artists.
But its not just about selling
the art can be a stuff, he continues. Theyre
physical outlet learning life-skills, too, and
developing commercial
www.autismeye.com Au t i s m | e y e I s s u e 2 7 2 0 1 7 13

Colin Sugden, mentor
with Artistic:
When were in the
studio, autism is
Celebrating 25 years
never mentioned
67 October 2017
Business Design Centre, London
Supported to develop their ideas: the original three mentees at Artistic in their
studio, pictured with street artist Eelus (on the left, with a beard)
Join us at the UKs largest special educational needs
awareness. They visit shows by
show, with two days of ideas, inspiration, networking and other artists, ask questions and
evaluate the work. The aim is
innovation, to bring learning alive for pupils with SEN. for them to eventually become
fully independent.
The approach has paid off. One
of the artists has begun buying
42 CPD sessions exploring the latest research and trends
and selling other peoples work
and is now earning more from that
FREE practical workshops led by our exhibitors than from his own paintings.
Another has been asked to design
Opening keynote and panel debate with the DfE, NAHT, Ofsted, a book cover. And the group as a
Rochford Review and Made By Dyslexia
Official show opening by Lord Jim Knight, Tes Global Ltds Their autism
chief education adviser doesnt need to
Exciting new resources from hundreds of exhibitors get in the way of their
work. Peoples needs
are just needs
Get your free ticket and book your
whole is on the verge of being
early bird CPD seminars before 31 July 2017
commissioned to produce a large-
scale project for a major financial
institution in London.
tesSENshow.co.uk
Dolinskis connections with
leading galleries have brought
support from high-profile artists
such as Eelus and Gilbert and
George. Sir Peter Blake, who
designed the Sergeant Pepper
Empowering the SEN community
album cover for The Beatles,
has run workshops with the
mentees and advised them,
Join the conversation #tesSENshow
learn to draw, work hard and
make your own luck.
www.autismeye.com
Gentle giant: an artwork depicting a
gorilla by an Artistic mentee
Currently, Artistic is running on a
shoestring, but the organisation
has applied for charitable status,
which will enable it to access more
funding. It also hopes to be able to
move to larger premises and help
more artists with ASD.
Were helping them to grow,
Sugden says. If they were just
sitting at home drawing, theyd be
very frustrated human beings.
Since working with us, theyve
become more able to talk about
their feelings and theyve learned
to co-operate with each other.
Their autism doesnt need to get in
the way of their work. Peoples
needs are just needs.
Art therapy
Washing as art: Mahlia Amatina
I want to
highlight our
similarities
Exhibition even uses laundrettes
to spread a social message
Artist Mahlia Amatina has created
an exhibition called Around the
World in 80 Washing Lines, which
launches at The Riverside Museum
in Reading, Berkshire on 16
September. It moves to The Curve
in Slough, Berkshire in October
and the Menier Gallery in London
in November. Part of the exhibition
is also being shown in laundrettes.
Designed to be autism-friendly,
the show is multi-sensory and
incorporates textiles, sounds of
running water and smells of washing
powder, as well as photographs of
washing lines. These have been
contributed by people all over the
world, from Angola to Australia.
I was diagnosed with Asperger
syndrome two years ago, so its
important to me that the exhibition
is accessible to all kinds of
people, Amatina explains.
Whoever you are and wherever
you live, you have to do your
laundry. I want to highlight our
similarities in a world that often
focuses on our differences.
I was diagnosed
with Asperger
syndrome two years
ago, so its important
to me that the
exhibition is accessible
to all kinds of people
Au t i s m | e y e I s s u e 2 7 2 0 1 7 15

www.rmt.org
01453 837502
admissions@rmt.org
Since 1987, Ruskin Mill Trust has developed its unique brand of expertise
Teeming with Art helps him with his self-esteem, his
working with young people with complex behaviour and learning difficulties activity: an
confidence and gives him independence
and disabilities, including autistic spectrum conditions, whose needs cannot artwork by Mark
Niven, entitled Artist Mark Niven often finds it hard to communicate with other people. Here, his brother
Reiss McInally writes on his behalf to reveal how important art has become in Marks life
be met by mainstream education. Sealife
Mark Niven is a 37-year-old artist
from Milngavie, Scotlandand
Grounded in a thorough understanding of the milestones in child development, Brantwood Specialist throughout his life he has found art
School in Sheffield offers personalised pathways to each student according to their needs. We provide to be a means of escapism. As a
young adult Mark was diagnosed
day and residential provision to children and young people aged 7 to 19. with learning difficulties, Autism
Spectrum Disorder (including
Our five centres for young people aged 16 to 25 are based in Birmingham, Sheffield, Stourbridge, Aspergers) and severe dyslexia.
Over the years this diagnosis
Pembrokeshire and Gloucestershire and offer both day and residential placements. Here students
extended to include Cerebral
follow a craftwork and land based curriculum through three stages, from overcoming barriers to Visual Impairment (CVI) and
learning to becoming skilled, before stepping out and contributing back to their communities. Developmental Co-ordination
Lifelong residential care is offered at Clervaux, our centre in Darlington. Here residents can benefit He finds painting
from our unique, holistic approach to care, as well as participate in meaningful training and work a very relaxing
according to their needs and wishes. and calming
experience, especially
The services offered by Ruskin Mill Trust are delivered by highly trained and expert staff, and we are
compared to an often-
committed to providing them with continuing training and development opportunities. Some of these
trainings, up to Masters level, are available to external applicants. overwhelming world
Ruskin Mill Trust is a charity and draws its inspiration from the insights of Rudolf Steiner, John Ruskin & William Morris. Charity Number 1137167 www.autismeye.com
Disorder. Mark often finds it hard to
communicate with other people,
and his artwork is a way for him to
express his personality and unique
view of life.
He finds painting a very relaxing
and calming experience, especially
compared to an often-
overwhelming world. Art helps him
with his self-esteem, his confidence
and gives him independence. It
makes him really happy to finish a
painting because it is something
he has achieved by himself,
despite his disabilities.
One of Marks favourite things
to do is learn how to use different
mediums and incorporate different
colours in his paintings, and he is
often inspired by the things he
likes most: Star Wars, DC Comics
and animals.
Marks first exhibition ran for a
Art therapy
month in the summer of 2010.
He is currently working towards
his next, which is planned for
winter 2018.
Further reading
Art as an Early
Intervention Tool for
Children With Autism
by art therapist Nicole
Martin is published by
Jessica Kingsley,
13.99/$19.95
CONTACTS
l Artistic: www.artistic-uk.org
l Scottish Autism:
www.scottishautism.org
l For more details of Mahlia
Amatinas exhibition, contact Little
Red Rooster on 07506 756914
Au t i s m | e y e I s s u e 2 7 2 0 1 7 17