Associate Professor of Education- Methodologist
Gwynedd Mercy University
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@doc_tamarah
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https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamarah-smith-teachingstats/
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Art Unseen
In this exhibit, one child with autism shows us that although their early art may not be understood by the neurotypical world as anything more than scribble, it is in fact an expression of how they see the world. This exhibit invites viewers to see what is unseen by exploring several pieces drawn over time. The descriptions of each piece guide viewers to see the unseen by experiencing the drawings through the lens of the autistic child.
#1: Order in the World
We praise children for coloring within the lines and drawing a picture that can be recognized as representations of our world. Certainly, coloring is a method of helping children develop fine motor skills, learning colors, and how to recognize patterns and objects. Drawing things that can be recognized by the adult, or a peer, could be argued to be a form of communication that facilitates connection. When I see something, draw it and someone else can identify what it is I have drawn, it communicates to me our similarity in experience. We all love that moment when making a new friend and identifying “I like that, too!” or “I do that, too!” That connection is vital to our development because it facilitates a sense of belonging and safety.
We get this from our parents and caretakers, too. When the adults recognize what the child has drawn it provides an opportunity for the child to connect with the adult–the person that the child ultimately depends on. But what happens when the child’s vision of the world is different from the caretaker? What happens when the autistic child represents the world on the page as something that the adult and others don’t recognize and we don’t communicate a shared experience? What happens when we consider the child’s representation as not meaningful?
This piece is an early drawing from a young child on the spectrum. It is unclear at this point what the child was attempting to communicate, but after looking at the later pieces, this begins to make sense to the neurotypical point of view.
#2: Connecting
In this piece we see the aging child begin to represent shapes, numbers, letters, symbols and movement–but to the neurotypical point of view they may appear disjointed but with only a hint of something systematic. It may be tempting for a neurotypical person to look at this piece and try to understand it. Why is that? Does it have to do with the person’s ability to recognize pieces that are similar to their own representations of the world? Is it because we have been introduced to the first drawing and it has challenged us to pause and take interest? What does this mean for advocacy and awareness? Does this help us to become more inclusive as a default and less quick to dismiss that which does not fit our own representation of the world? Can our pause and interest allow us to communicate to a child with autism that they belong.
#3: Reflecting
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Reflecting displays two drawings from late childhood. Here we begin to see representations that fit with the neurotypical world. Diagrams that position shapes and colors to communicate a movement or evolution of some type. This piece allows one to look back at the earlier drawings, especially #1, Order in the World, and understand that it was a diagram with lines connecting shapes that at first were invisible to some. What may not be clear from Reflecting is what the diagrams are attempting to dissect or represent.
#4: Part of the World
Early adolescence emerges with a new sketch in the notebook. Familiar concepts emerge: numbers and infinity in a diagram of connections that represent a larger theory. Although the theory itself may not be clear, what is very clear in this drawing and in reflection of the earlier drawings is the child’s attempt to make sense of the world around them.
Based on the drawings, we can conclude that their view of the world is different from most neurotypical views–but it is not less meaningful. While a neurotypical child may draw family members or a house with a tree and fence, in essence it is no different from the drawings we see here. They are all pictures of how things go together in the world from the child’s point of view.
When we recognize that we understand a child’s drawn representation of the world, we communicate a connection and ultimately a sense of belonging with us. The drawings of a child with autism are just as powerful–although they do not represent a neurotypical view, they do represent a view and a visual attempt to make sense of the world they see. Pausing and taking interest rather than dismissing that which is unfamiliar can extend comfort and belonging to the autistic child who may spend their days feeling very different from others. In this way, art may become a means for connection and safety for our children with autism.