autismpsych

If you ever spend time around someone with autism, you quickly realize how visual some of them are. They look; often they stare. And sometimes all that visual input, stewing and brewing in that unique mind, becomes output in the form of beautiful, mind-boggling art.f

In the book Drawing Autism, author Jill Mullin collects the most intriguing, beautiful and insightful examples of artwork done by people with autism. In her forward she tells the story of how the book came to be and the one man, himself an artist, who sparked her interest in autistic artists and their work.

Temple Grandin, herself an autistic artist, authors the introduction of the book and encourages parents, caretakers and teachers to nurture an autistic individual’s talents and realize that their obsessive behavior can be channeled into a passion driven by boundless motivation.

Drawing Autism is filled to the brim with gorgeous full-color illustrations from artists around the world. Mullin asked each artist a few questions that give further insight into their motivations for creating art, how they view themselves and their art, and how art affects their lives. Pictures and words both give the reader new perspectives on art and how autistic artists’ minds work. If you want to learn more about autism, Drawing Autism is the prettiest way to do so.

Laura Shumaker, author of A Regular Guy: Growing Up With Autism (2008), interviewed Jill Mullin on the success of her book and how Mullin hopes to increase awareness of autism.

Both interview and book are excellent reading. Even if you don’t have an autistic individual in your life, the incredible art displayed in Mullin’s book is a joy in itself.

Even better: a part of the proceeds from Drawing Autism are donated to agencies that support autism and art.

For more information on Drawing Autism, visit Mark Batty Publishers.