Highlighting Nature

Being a mother of autistic kids, I often wonder how they relate to their world.  I never know how they see the world; what pops into their minds when they hear, see, or feel something.  Nature, for instance, provides a myriad of opportunities for the senses to experience the world.

One of my favorite places on earth is the beach.  All the senses embrace input. I love it.  I am not sure if my boys appreciate the same gratitude of the beach's natural beauty. When I ask them, they can't really put into words what they do or don't experience.

Through this photo shop class, Ryan is conveying what he sees.  Quite an eye-opener.

Literally!

A couple of weeks ago Mike took the boys to Yosemite. The camera busily recorded all the beautiful sites and tiring hikes the guys endeavored.  Ryan took some of the photos to his class, and he "enhanced" them.  For once, I get to see inside Ryan's thoughts.  He's highlighting what he sees.  He's using colors that I wouldn't necessarily relate to the scene; nonetheless, his interpretation of nature yields spectacular, striking images.

I can't wait to see the next set of photos!!

Ryan's Lord Malevar

Lord Malevar

My son, Ryan, has written a few books, and he's using his photo shop classes at RMG Imaging Artists to illustrate his latest book.  He's using his knowledge to create his characters.  This portrait is of his latest villain, Lord Malevar.  I never knew a unicorn could possess an evil side.  Alas, creativity strikes.

Ryan showed me how he can manipulate the background and highlight different parts of his character

He is almost done with the first year of this program.  I can't wait to see what he will adapt as he progresses through the next two years!

So many times I've been told that kids and teens with autism are not creative.  They live in a structured system with no room for flexibility.  This simply is not concrete truth.  Yes, my boys prefer a known schedule.

We all can appreciate predictability to some extent.  I just don't like most people thinking that the autism population is so rigid.  They are not!! Sometimes my boys surprise me by their problem solving skills--simply by thinking outside the box.  They can be very creative when given the chance.  They express an array of emotions and feelings as well.

Whether it's through music, books, or art, my boys with autism open their world to us in their own, creative ways.

Ryan's Photos at RMG Imaging Artists

Ryan has thrived since he started the photo shop classes.  He has matured greatly as his confidence grows.  He talks more.  That alone is a WIN!!

The owners have told me that they were not so certain at first that Ryan would have the longevity for the course.  However, they watched and monitored his progress.  They were pleasantly surprised!

Ryan learns quickly.  He advocates for himself, asking questions when he needs help.  He monitors himself; he knows when to work and when to talk.  He's very comfortable in his environment.  He's free to play his music quietly, and he gets along with others when they are present.  Best yet, the owners say that Ryan is a natural.  No one has every said that Ryan is a natural at anything.  No wonder he likes to share his work!

Ryan, who usually chooses not to talk--typical of autism, has taken the initiative to invite his grandparents into the building to see his work.  That shocked my dad.  His astonishment continued as Ryan continually talked and described his photos and images.

The photos here of a lamp were done after four lessons, as were the Yoda pictures shown on a previous blog entry.  These pictures are of the same object.  These images invoke very different moods.

I'm glad Ryan was willing, albeit with our insistence, to try this class.  He has gained much more than just knowledge. He is gaining a sense of himself, a sense of pride in his work and accomplishments.

RMG Imaging Artists

For the last five months, Ryan has attended photo shop classes at RMG Imaging Artists.  Here's a link to a video that best illustrates what Ryan is learning:

http://youtu.be/pQN6Wklx8Ok

RMG Imaging Artists is a family run business whose focus is to employ adults on the autism spectrum.  They SEEK OUT adults with autism!!  I met them at a local meeting for young adults with autism.  The owners of RMG Imaging Artists delivered a lively, detailed business plan of their venture and vision.

I was quite impressed by their enthusiasm.  The selling point for me was that they were completely invested in the success of this business as this was a family business.  They also understood the complexity of autism.  They were familiar with the communication and sensory issues, and they welcomed that.  Best of all, they comprehended the "symptoms" of autism could be channeled into a positive outcome.

From their website:

Photographic image editing relies on intelligence, skill, and determination, yet does not require a large amount of communication. This makes it an ideal profession for many on the autism spectrum.

Skills required of an image editor:

• Attention to detail
• Ability to focus for long periods
• Self-discipline
• Perfectionism
• Stickler for following tasks through in order
• Enjoyment of working on a computer
• Enjoyment of artistic expression

A Picture Is Worth A 1000 Words

Ryan's showing the different colors of Yoda!  Ryan is creating these images through his photo shop class--a class we hope will lead to a trade.

Ryan took three college computer classes last semester.  He did well, earning As.  However, he decided that college is not for him.  Listening to lectures, taking tests, and finishing homework tremendously burdens Ryan.  Mike and I responded, "Ok, but you need to be working towards a job."  We have stressed to Ryan that government support is not an option.  What the government can give, the government can take away.  He must develop his own means to support himself.  We hope that he'll find a talent or skill that he loves and build a career from it.

Ryan agreed because he wants to be independent, but he didn't really have a plan of what to pursue.  Ryan has been in vocational/rehabilitation for two years, and that, so far, has produced nothing.  In fact, it has been a very frustrating process, but that is another story.

In my research I found a company that wanted to hire young adults on the autism spectrum.  The company's name is RMG Imaging Artists.  http://www.rmgia.com/  What a blessing!  The training is in photo shop. At first Ryan was not so willing to participate, but he quietly attended.

Over the last few months he found that he enjoys this class. Ryan has liked taking art classes in the past.  These classes are no exception.  Whether Ryan realizes it or not, he is very creative, which is not thought to be very typical of autism.  These classes demand focus and perfection while being creative.  It's a perfect mix for Ryan.

I'll focus more on the company in my next blog entry.

A- Is Not Good Enough

A younger Nick

A few years ago Nick received his report card.  Straight As.  Most kids would be ecstatic.  Not Nick.  There was a problem with one of his As.  It had a minus sign after it.  Well, another A had a plus after it.

Yes, Nick had 5 As, 1 A-, and 1 A+.  He was not happy with that report card.  Sad.  The obsessive/compulsive aspect of autism shows itself!  Nick simply stated, "I want straight As. No pluses nor minuses.  Just As."

He could not get over that A-.  It just wasn't good enough.  He didn't try hard enough.  That lead to him thinking that he's not smart enough.  And the thought process did a downward spiral.  He started doubting everything he did.  "Is this good enough?"

At moments he was ballistic.  He brought it up constantly.  I had to reassure him that he had done well!

I spent days trying to get Nick to see that his grades were great.  More importantly, Nick said that he loved school, and he was learning a lot of new things.  That is what Mike and I strive to encourage.  We really don't care about the grades on the report card.  We want our boys to love learning and seek knowledge.

With today's emphasis on SAT scores and standardized tests, let alone report cards, we continue to stress to Nick that these items may be important to the world, but HE is what matters to us.  What is he doing?  Is he putting his best effort forward?  Does he like what he's doing?  All these will carry over to his adult life.

This year Nick received a C in Algebra II in the first semester.  He is proud that he brought it to a B.  Again, I told him that I glad he's happy, but what matters most is that he is learning the math. He reflected that he loves math better than any grade, and he wants to be a math teacher.