A letter to my leading lady on autism awareness day 2023

Yiayia mou (grandmother), it’s been a hard year.

It’s autism awareness month and your absence is punching us in the face. Your best friend is thriving though – I think he’s almost as strong as you.

You aren’t here to get his tea cup prepared with honey and a boiled kettle for when he arrives in the morning. In fact, he has someone who drives him straight to school now – can you imagine it? I wonder how many seconds it took him to figure out all the buttons in the car. I wonder if he thinks about you every time they pass the exit to your house.

Everything is different but pretending to be the same. Pappou tries his best, he boils the kettle, he prepares the tea, he cooks, he annoys him, he laughs sometimes – he keeps to his routine too.

I remember you telling me many times, over the last 5 years, that one of your biggest concerns was what would happen to Chris and how he would cope if you weren’t here. You assumed we would all be able to deal with loss one way or another but what about his routine? Well, yiayia mou, we aren’t able to deal with it and he is thriving. He proved us wrong again.

He keeps proving us wrong. Just when we think we know him, he reveals he knows something more. He makes us laugh and cry, he makes us proud all the time – doesn’t he get tired of it? Explaining to him that you are gone didn’t go very well. How do we explain something we don’t understand ourselves? How do they tell him he won’t see you again, when we expect to see you every time we walk in the door?

He thinks you are in England with me. I wish.

Watching your relationship with him was magic. It was a perfectly choreographed ballet – you boil the water and reach for the butter which he brought just in time. The plates and cutlery ready for when you needed to stir the pasta, the kiss and giant arm across your tiny shoulders while you both wait, the lean of his head onto yours just for a second. You were a best friend, an advocate, a proud bystander and a ferocious supporter.

I see your fight in him. The quiet inspiration he is to all those around him came from you. His generosity and the way he loves came from you. We learned how to love by watching you. Selfless, suffocating, patient, kind overwhelming, bring you to your knees kind of love. And then we taught him that that’s how we love in this family.

He is your legacy.

You would have been busy baking, taking donations and preparing for tomorrow’s “Run for autism” marathon if you were here. You would ignore the aches and pains and march to that fair to tell everyone he’s yours and to support our cause. The whole village knows more about autism now because of you. Autism will be welcomed differently there because you paved the way, you raised awareness, you went door to door telling people about our charity, about Chris, and kept going back until they showed him love and respect. You did that for us, for him and for everyone that comes after.

I don’t know how you did it all. You always thought it wasn’t enough or that you could do more, but you were a force to be reckoned with – a force i see in your children, grandchildren and great-grandchild.

We continue the fight for awareness and acceptance without you but with you as inspiration. We share the fear of what happens after we are gone but we also know to trust in all the work we are putting in to leave this world better.

Thank you for fighting for autism awareness. You are in everything I do, he is and we are, always.

Let’s talk about the family Madrigal..

Our Google Nest knows my favourite playlist at the moment is Disney’s Encanto soundtrack. If you haven’t had the pleasure yet, consider this my recommendation.

I pressed play on Encanto having read one sentence about the film – that it had a character with autism in the cast. Knowing only that, I started watching and looking for this person. Was it supposed to be Mirabel? Was it everyone else? I still wasn’t sure by the end but I was also distracted by how beautiful it was and the sassy songs. *shrug emoji*

Being obsessed with the soundtrack kept reminding me that I didn’t understand who the person with autism was supposed to be. I decided not to read the articles about it until I made up my own mind (and watched it again). So, I went searching for clues, traits, words, actions and all I came up with is that it depends on the person watching it. It could be Mirabel, because she is different from the rest of the family? It could be Bruno because of the repetitive motions, which is basically superstition? It could be everyone else in the Madrigal family, who has a power no one else has, who retreats into a world of their own depending on what they love/what their power is and are pushed in a box created by Abuela.

I’ve read accounts of people identifying Mirabel and Bruno as the person with autism: Mirabel being the quirky outcast that saves the day because she doesn’t have powers and Bruno because, well, he is a literal outcast.

I am going to go with the third, and more beautiful, scenario in this post. I love the idea that the film is made up of predominantly atypical characters and not just relying on one person, who is supposed to represent autism, being the ‘outcast’. My disclaimer before I start my rant, is that I do not believe Disney set out to make Encanto an autism-friendly story but rather our community sees parallels between the familial behaviours and our own lives. Stay with me.. and for those of you who aren’t use to my ramblings – sorry.

It all starts with the matriarch, Abuela. The person who sets an example and the standards for everyone else. Most families will identify this character because we know someone who we look up to, who we follow and who we respect. This same person is the one you look to impress, to show that you are everything they think you should be, the one you change yourself for and suppress anything they wouldn’t understand. In my translation of Encanto, she is societal norms. Abuela is our community: full of rules, notions of normalcy, illusions of status, impossible expectations which all have a crushing influence on everyone – whether we like it or not. Society tells us to follow the traditions of the many, it wants things to be done a certain way because of lessons learnt decades ago, in a another context and minus all the advances and knowledge we have acquired since. We follow those cues, sometimes to our own detriment. And what happens to those who do not?

Every member of the Madrigal atypical family has been shoved into a role by Abuela: Peppa (her mood affects the weather) to be calm despite adversity, Julieta (she can heal you with a meal) to keep Mirabel in check even though she wants her to flourish, Luisa (super strong) to carry them all even though she is sensitive too, Dolores (can hear a pin drop) to listen and take a step back, Isabela (the golden child) to be perfect and Camilo (shapeshifts) to be well-behaved.

You can’t cry if you are strong, you can’t have anything imperfect if you are to be viewed as beautiful, you can’t be valuable if you are a bit kooky (i checked the spelling don’t worry), you can’t this and you can’t that. This is what we do to everyone who is atypical, or society’s version of neurodiverse. Why? Because we want them to fit in, to not cause problems, to be loved and accepted. Because we have been programmed to think that if we are different, we won’t be accepted and we will be judged. Instead of our society seeing us as who we are and respecting our differences and unique attributes, it has systems in place to box us in. Instead of including awareness of special education and what it is, it separates kids in schools, teaching them that they are divided by abilities; less and more.

The Madrigal children and grandchildren named above, who in the theory I am exploring are on the spectrum, see the world in a new way and they can use their gifts for so much more than just what Abuela asks them to use them for. Christos has an incredible way of remembering things, does that mean we cultivate only his memory and define him by it? So many people have a good memory is that all they are? He has an astounding sense of direction, he is a math wiz, he is a clean freak, he can cook, he is kind and funny and compassionate. What defines him is what he gives back to the community: love, kindness, education, awareness. He paves the way for other kids with autism to grow up in an environment that is a little less hostile. He was an inspiration for an autism society, he was a reason for opening a school for adults with autism.

Who is Mirabel in this theory? To me, she is any and every autism family. Someone who loves and knows her diverse family and what they are capable of, not because they are the same but because they are not. She is the families of people with autism who are stuck with one foot in each world and not able to bring them together. They know the society they grew up in but having a person with autism in your family makes you see everything you didn’t know. They grew up typical and they are expected to raise someone neurodiverse. She spends her life observing and wanting to be part of a world that can’t let her in (autism) and is exiled by the world she is most like (society/Abuela).

My point is: we push our kids with autism to become integrated with kids that aren’t taught to accept neurodiversity and we pave the way to bullying. We are expected to drown their stimming, their cries and their character to make them more approachable and more ‘normal’ to the wider community. Our archaic ways, our inexcusable desperation to hold on to traditions teach them that they aren’t enough unless they change. This is simply soul-destroying to me as a sister.

The progress is there, I can see it everywhere. In the last decade science, education, Hollywood, authors have embraced autism. I see it in quiet hours implemented in stores, in the sunflower lanyard, prominent characters in series and movies and the hesitation in someone’s voice when I mention my brother’s autism. People are more aware because of celebrities sharing diagnosis, shows like Love on the Spectrum being on Netflix, blogs like this one. It’s painfully slow but it is there and we are all part of it.

So, if I were to make a comparison between Encanto and autism, I would look at it this way. I hope you’ll see it too but more than anything I hope you will use this post as a gateway to learn something new about autism today.

Much love.

Happy birthday brother

23.

It’s another birthday and it’s another year. Today is special and you know it. People will say ‘Na zisis’ and you will say thank you. You will let people hug you, kiss you, give you presents, sing you happy birthday and blow out your candles. You’ll go about your day, following your classes, your schedule and then have your favourite dinner; the one you asked for that yiayia has been planning for weeks. You’ll sit and listen to our family reminisce about your childhood and laugh at the same stories. I wish i could be there brother but instead i’ll ask for pictures and videos of your day, and hope that you like your puzzle.

I hope you are proud of what you have achieved this year. A really hard year for everyone. You persevered even when your school closed, even when mum and dad were sick, even when you couldn’t see yiayia and pappou for a while. You knew something big was happening and you agreed to follow the rules. Covid is a nightmare but your bubble survived. Of course, cleanliness and hygiene have been on your programme for years, but the world needed a pandemic to catch up to your standards. I cannot tell you how proud everyone was of the strength and resilience you showed this year.

And what next? Hopefully some travelling, but mostly more of the same. Because the same is comforting, it makes sense, it’s predictable and you’re in control. And let’s not be fooled, you are the commander in chief of our clan. I know for sure you will keep surprising us. Your witty comments, your sharp sense of right, your unpredictable laziness keeps us on our toes. How do you do it? Where did you learn how to be an inspiration? Did you learn your resilience from dad? Did you find your strength from mum? Your kindness from yiayia? Your humour from pappou? And if so, what did I give you? If nothing else, i hope i give you the faith to take me for granted; i am yours forever, unconditionally and wholly.

Have a fun day brother. Laugh, hug, eat and follow your schedule. I will be somewhere in mum and dad’s phones, watching from a distance, wishing i was with you.

Thank you for existing exactly the way you are.

Happy birthday Christo.

Actually, autism awareness day is every day

Yet another thing I’ve been trying to work on during Covid is news intake. All these fake news, scare tactics and conspiracy theories about the pandemic, the numbers and the vaccine have made me more aware of how many of us repeat what we read without putting it into context.

How many times do we get into debates only to realise we are way over our heads or misunderstood something and actually we should concede?

Or how many times do we find ourselves on the other side of that argument saying “actually, it’s this” in response.

While I’ve been checking myself, I’ve also been thinking about how Christos handles being in either of the two situations above. If he insists and insists that our parents do something, like wash a t shirt he has worn only for a few hours, or that a plate should be in the fridge but then our parents explain why it’s not going to happen he will start insisting less. Then after a while he will sit and think about it with that thinking man look on his face and repeat what you have explained a few times – then another 100 times. If he gets it completely wrong he may even try and be cute by smiling and kissing – FYI it totally works.

But when he is right.. nothing can stop him. For example, I will be in another room and say Monday is the 6th of April and he will yell “actually it’s the 5th” and then he will come into the room and tell me it’s the 5th and then he will show me on a calendar. He will then repeat it a few times just to make sure I know. Or i’ll say 5+5 is 11 and he’ll say “actually its 10″ – probably wondering how I get through life not being able to do basic math. Or our grandpa will go left of the turning to the house and Chris will say “pappou!!! actually it’s on the right.” Or our dad will forget to put something in the right container and Chris will go do it himself because if you want something done.. you got to do it yourself – and say to dad “actually, for next time, it’s this container”

It’s okay to be wrong, it’s okay to be out of your depth. The best thing to do is what my bro does – admit and move on. Next time you might be the one “actualling”.

This Autism Awareness day, 02.04.2021, why don’t we all learn something new about autism? So that next time someone says “All autistics are good at math “You can say “actually, every person on the spectrum is different”.

By learning one new thing about autism today we can actually make a difference. We can shift perceptions and trash the stigma of being autistic. Passing on one bit of knowledge can cause a thousand “actually” moments which can make a difference.

So, for one day in April why don’t we:

– wear blue and tell someone that actually blue represents autism awareness because.. (previous post here).

– watch an episode of Atypical, or The A word, the Undateables or that Louis Theroux documentary “Extreme Love: Autism” and share that actually we all deserve love and acceptance in the same way

– donate to your local or national autism charity and remember that you are actually making a difference in a person’s life with minimal effort

– read a book, an article or a blog and find out what you actually know about autism

I’m off to do all of the above, so until next time 💙

Thinking about thoughts

Dr Damian Milton is an author, consultant, Lecturer in Intellectual and Developmental Disability at Tizard Centre, University of Kent and chair of the Participatory Autism Research Collective (PARC). 

The ‘double empathy’ theory is based on the notion that misunderstanding behaviours, intentions and attitude are a result of a breakdown in mutual understanding between people with different ways of looking at or experiencing and analysing the world.

Dr Milton explains that when a neurotypical person tries to understand autism they look at it in comparison to what they know and they usually frame it as a deviance from what is the ‘norm’ because that is the only way to fit it into their view of the world. This creates a chasm between the two and in this chasm we find our reactions to people with different abilities. A lot of our interactions are framed in the perception that we have to train and modify behaviours of autistic people to fit a neurotypical society. As if there is only one kind of neurotypical society!

Things that seem rude in the UK are banal in Europe, and etiquette which rules the Middle East seems unnecessary in South America. In the same way: If you speak to someone in English and they speak Sinhalese you will perceive it as a deviance and try to get the other person to understand your language as will they.

Double empathy refers to the problem both people experience when trying to communicate with someone who has a different outlook – both people experience the same issue from different perspectives. Fans who support different teams, followers who believe in different gods, a recreational climber and a person who is terrified of heights, a Hamilton fan and a Verstappen fan.

How many times have you made a snap judgement about a crying baby, a naughty toddler, or an adult which skips instead of walks? We all do it. Maybe you think “Why won’t they stop” or “What a weirdo” before you realise that it’s probably just who they are. You may not even realise it at the time and go on to make candid comments or even intervene.

For those of you that have realised it though – that flush of guilt? I’ve felt it. For me, the flush is followed by a punch in the chest when I think that someone might think that way about Christos. I’ve written here before that people sometimes shield their children from him when he walks past, just because he doesn’t walk like every other 23 year old they know. So in addition to trying not to hate on myself too much, I have also been working on changing sort of reflex of judging strangers – I catch myself and immediately change the narrative in my head.

Since I started modifying my behaviour, I began wondering what Christos’ perception of us is? Does he think we are weird because we stare at our phones all day? Does he think we are annoying because we talk about food all the time and wonders why we don’t just eat a set of meals like he does? Does he think we spend too much time arguing or sitting at cafes? I’d love to know. Sometimes, he gives us a look to say “what are you doing you weirdo” so I know he sees our differences.

But I hope he sees our similarities the most. I hope he sees how much we try to understand because we see how gracefully he understands us. I hope he sees how much we change to accommodate his behaviours because he has modified his to meet us half way so may times. I hope he doesn’t feel like the odd one out because he sees how odd we all are.

We are so lucky to have raised someone like Christos, he has given us views of the world we would have never dreamed of. He has given us the insight to sympathise, empathise and understand so many different situations.

I may not speak for him on this blog but i hope he would be proud of what I say.

It’s important to remember that our insight into autism is socially, historically and culturally derived. Throughout autism awareness day/week/month I encourage you to read stories written by people on the spectrum or to talk to autistic people and see what they have to say. Remember that even though we perceive autism to carry with it a lack of perception of our society, the same is true for us: we lack the insight into their perception of our habits.

You can read Dr Milton’s paper here.

A thought

During this weird and wonderful and terrible year, I have learned to acknowledge when I have self-deprecating thoughts and try to confront them when they appear. It’s been a revelation to see how harsh I am to myself on a daily basis and how embarrassing I find it to give myself credit or take a compliment!

So when I struggle with not being mean to me, I turn to my unofficial guru for guidance and I wonder what he is insecure about or what he thinks about himself.

To me, he is perfect.

Some times when we take pictures of him he rushes over to delete them immediately and on a rare occasion he will leave one or two pictures alone. Mum says it is because he doesn’t like the way he looks in some of the pictures, especially when you’re catching him off guard. Which is something we all do, right? He takes pride in how he looks each day by choosing his own clothes, brushing his teeth, styling his hair, making sure he doesn’t get this clothes dirty, shaving or getting a hair cut. A lot of this is part of a routine started at home by our parents but he enjoys it and so he continues. We also started a routine where he used to wash the dishes, but he did not continue that!

I know he knows what to say and when to say it or that sometimes he regrets things he says or does because he will apologise and try to make up for it by being cute – FYI it totally works. Being a person with autism doesn’t mean you don’t think about certain things, it just means that some people cannot express thoughts in a verbal way – so I look for his thoughts in his actions when I can.

Overall, he is a confident boy, he does not shy away from making his emotions known, whether it is anger or disagreement. He is stubborn and I think that’s because he believes in himself. He is strong and I think that’s because he went through so many changes in environment, schools and homes so he knows he can conquer change. He insists on what he thinks is right, for example if we are looking for something in the wrong place. He is apologetic if he is wrong and I think it’s because he knows how to reflect on his actions.

I credit all of his achievements to my parents because they encouraged him to be the way he is by acknowledging his strengths and abilities. For example, they know he has an amazing memory so they trust him when he says “this way”. They don’t sit back and let him get comfortable, but give him what he wants with a pinch of challenge. They never speak about him in a derogatory way because they know he would understand and do not mistake his silence for ignorance. He is so overwhelmingly loved and he knows that some people around him are putty in his hands. He is a charming boy and he uses his charm to disarm us – FYI it totally works. It is a mutual feeling. Christos loves the people around him the same way he is loved; he does not judge us when we yell, or cry or put on weight. He does not take away his love no matter what.

So – when I catch myself thinking a horrible thought about me I acknowledge it and try to be more like my sibling. I remind myself that I’m stubborn because I believe in what I say, I’m strong because of the changes I’ve conquered, I insist when I think I’m right and I apologise when I am wrong.

His confidence is just one more thing to admire about him and this April, for autism awareness month, I’m going to be praising him.

Appreciation

Towards the end of this weird year, I look back and I am so overwhelmed with gratitude and thanks for everything and everyone I know. I look back so that I am ready to move forward with all this new-found appreciation and understanding that this year has gifted me with.

Looking back to summer, when I was last with my family, people would say to us “He’s so handsome, he would have broken so many hearts”, or “What a shame he could have done so much”.

Summer 2020

I’ve been an autism sister for most of my life so I don’t know what it’s like growing up with a neurotypical sibling. I don’t know how to talk to a 4-year-old who’s telling me about their day. I don’t know what it’s like to talk about mum and dad with my brother, to go for coffee, to talk about problems, life, happiness or the future. Autism gave me a 5 year-old that looked to me for word pronunciation; an 8-year-old that would lie in bed with me for hours laughing and hiding under the covers; a 10-year-old who would come to me for help with a difficult Pokemon level; a teenager that still watches Disney films with me and tells me to shush when I sing; an adult that is an inspiration to his peers.

My neurodiverse sibling challenged me every day, made me work for every word, he destroyed my walls and threw away all the boxes I thought life had to fit into. I lived every day watching someone make the impossible possible.

If my brother was not on the spectrum I wouldn’t wish him to be. But my brother is on spectrum, and I don’t wish he wasn’t. I love what I have been given, instead of wanting what I don’t have. I don’t wish he was ‘normal’; instead I wish that he is happy being who he is. I don’t know what Christos would be like if he wasn’t on the spectrum – the possibilities are endless.

‘Normal’ doesn’t mean ‘better’. So why spend my life imagining what he could have been when I can spend it loving him for who he is right now?

I am thankful for all the good and bad things that come with autism; every tantrum, every fight, every word I’ve had to repeat a million times. He is someone who has changed lives – he has done and changed so much in this lifetime already. I am thankful to be able to look up to someone who doesn’t even try to be someone to look up to. And as for the heartbreak bit – believe me hearts were broken.

Looking ahead, I push and do as much as I can within mine and my family’s lifetime to ensure that my brother gets to live his life as happy as possible. Not a mediocre life where he will be seen as ‘missing out’. I want the world (or whoever reads this blog) to catch a glimpse into the ups and downs of life with a person on the autism spectrum. My hope is that when someone watches a video, or reads the blog it will help them handle a future encounter with autism differently.

We are lucky enough to be living in a time where we can talk about autism, ask about it, learn about it and encounter it so often. The stigma is lifting. Autism stories are being heard on podcasts, seen on Netflix and talked about at local events. The research at the moment is ground-breaking, the reading lists are endless, the information is readily-available and awareness is suffocating us (in a good way). I hope that these resources inspire you to learn about autism and teach your children about it – because they will be the ones that solve the autism puzzle in the future. It may be that you are the one that can make this possible by just learning about autism and passing it on.

I hope you dive into our world and that one day our worlds can become one.

Happy holidays.

Happy Birthday – 2020 Edition

Dear brother

You turn 22 years old tomorrow and this year you are celebrating in the midst of a pandemic. Another memorable celebration with all your loved ones awaits tomorrow; a Mickey mouse cake, your favourite food, and all the things you told mum you wanted for your birthday weeks ago. What an amazing life you have lived so far and how many experiences you have grown through.

You mesmerise me with your brain, your intelligence and how you keep surprising us all every day. Like how you know dad hides the laundry you ask him to wash every day and you have to remind him to take it out of hiding when he’s packing your things, or how you take care of mum when she needs it the most. People might think we can outsmart you but, damn boy, you put us all to shame with your perception and keep us on our toes.

You make me laugh out loud when you say you don’t want to go for a walk because you’re cold, but its 30 degrees outside and you’re sat in an air-conditioned room. Or when you start laughing just to turn our frowns upside down. You keep our family sane and safe, reminding them to wash up, bring in the clothes when it starts to rain, drink their tea before it gets cold and making them all smile with your wit. Thank you for taking care of them.

I live off the seconds I get to see you on video chat to hear you shouting at me to hang up the phone. That’s all I get and that’s okay. I am so proud of you and I can’t wait to see you again, grab your chin and force you to kiss me 10 times.

Happy birthday my little brother, I more than love you, more than miss you.

FYI: If you want to help our cause during the Covid-19 pandemic, I am selling off my paintings to raise money for SMILE School in Famagusta, Cyprus. SMILE, like all schools, has been closed due to Covid-19 and our boys are being home-schooled, it’s easier for some more than others. It’s distressing for us to stay at home, but even more when you rely on that sense of routine and repetition to get through the day. When parents have to divide their time to further the education of all their children, neurotypical or not, as well as keeping the peace, maintaining the household etc. Your donation can help with getting supplies to educate our boys in art, math, cooking, baking, to entertain them with music, films etc or to help with paying rent or utilities so that the boys have somewhere to return to when all this is over.
Read more about SMILE on the blog and pick a painting you like. Make us an offer! These are difficult times, so I won’t price them. It’s up to you to bid and, once confirmed, donate directly to the school. 

Stories that defy lockdown

It’s nearly the end of Week 4 on lockdown and I’m finding it helpful to read other people’s experiences. It kind of normalises the situation a bit, knowing that others think what I think and finding inspiration in [extra]ordinary humans.

If you are feeling it this week, here are some inspirational stories I found that may brighten your day, give you a different perspective or inspire you to help others.

Autism champion shares his tips for young people coping with coronavirus lockdown: “One of the symptoms of autism is that you don’t like change in your routine,” he said. It’s a massive culture change for somebody with autism, its like my life has gone on pause. But Richie wants to help other children and young people with autism who may be struggling too.”

How to help your autistic child cope with coronavirus lockdown

Autism assistance dogs trained in Banbury are a vital lifeline to families during coronavirus lockdown: “Dogs for Good provide these amazing and highly-trained animals to 50 families who have children with autism and many people with a disability or illness. And the charity is doing its best to support those who need them despite the significant challenges of the last few weeks.”

How to support autistic children and adults during coronavirus pandemic

I will be fundraising for the Smile Project by Autism Support Famagusta. Smile is the first and only day care centre for adults with autism in Famagusta, Cyprus – and it hosts my brother. 

So, read more about SMILE on the blog and pick a painting you like – info below. Make us an offer! These are difficult times, so I won’t price them. It’s up to you to bid and, once confirmed, donate directly to the school http://www.autismsupportfamagusta.com/.

I will post the painting to you on the weekend after you order it.

 

Acrylic on canvas, 35x28cm because I love elephants and Christos loves the sea.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deer – acrylic on canvas – 51.40.5 cm

I love blue. Maybe this is why?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Regal – Acrylic on canvas – 50×39.5cm

A clear blue sky here featuring a beautiful woman, a powerful pose and a regal bird.

 

 

 

In progress – Acrylic on canvas 65×89.5cm

This is my interpretation of Kilmt’s Expectation. Klimt has been my surrealist guide and I draw inspiration from his love for women and nature. Here, instead of expectation, she strikes another power pose and opens herself up.

Art in the time of COVID

I will be fundraising for the Smile Project by Autism Support Famagusta. Smile is the first and only day care centre for adults with autism in Famagusta, Cyprus – and it hosts my brother.  

In 2015 Autism Support Famagusta I wrote: “Their dream is to build a home within the community to provide care and a quality of life for people with Autism. The long-term goal is a specialised centre which will offer kids with Autism tailored education and pastime.” And now here we are. The Smile centre opened in September 2019 and currently hosts 3 adults, with interest from even more families.

But now SMILE, like all schools, has been closed due to Covid-19 and our boys are being home-schooled, it’s easier for some more than others. It’s distressing for us to stay at home, but even more when you rely on that sense of routine and repetition to get through the day. When parents have to divide their time to further the education of all their children, neurotypical or not, as well as keeping the peace, maintaining the household etc. Your donation can buy toys, art supplies, puzzles to continue their education or to help with paying rent or utilities so that the boys have somewhere to return to when all this is over.

So, read more about SMILE on the blog and pick a painting you like – info below. Make us an offer! These are difficult times, so I won’t price them. It’s up to you to bid and, once confirmed, donate directly to the school http://www.autismsupportfamagusta.com/donate . I will post the painting to you on the weekend after you order it.

Acrylic on canvas, 35x28cm because I love elephants and Christos loves the sea.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deer – acrylic on canvas – 51.40.5 cm

I love blue. Maybe this is why?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Life – Acrylic on canvas – 50×39.5cm

Blue again and women. Strong, powerful, shapely, pregnant, tall, short, beautiful women.

 

 

 

Regal – Acrylic on canvas – 50×39.5cm

A clear blue sky here featuring a beautiful woman, a powerful pose and a regal bird.

 

 

 

Hiding – Acrylic on canvas – 60×40.5cm

Another power pose by a magnificent woman. There is so much more than meets the eye.

 

 

 

 

In progress – Acrylic on canvas 65×89.5cm

This is my interpretation of Kilmt’s Expectation. Klimt has been my surrealist guide and I draw inspiration from his love for women and nature. Here, instead of expectation, she strikes another power pose and opens herself up.