7 Misconceptions on Art and Autism
Art-Is-Umm ...
Purpose
One boy sits quietly in the corner of small classroom infatuated with the ABCs, as a crowd of children laughing and playing together beckon for his attention. He looks up, but never in their direction. Another child offers a friendly gesture, but receives no response. Jonah, the boy in the corner, obsessively arranges and rearranges his toy letters over and over and over again. Few things call Jonah to escape the self-imposed confines of his corner. One strike of a piano key, Jonah comes running. One mention of paint, Jonah grabs a brush. One act resembling Jonah's favorite character, in his case SpongeBob or Dora, earns his attention.
Jonah represents, the now, 1 in 54 school children with Autism.
A year ago D.S. Artistry Productions set out to prove Art’s importance to the Autism community. During the process producer Derrick Small learned many insightful tips about coping and growing with Autism. These tips benefit his youngest son Jonah Small, who is on the spectrum. 7 Misconceptions on Art and Autism is the first installment in a 4-part series of webinars that center on findings from documentary, Art-Is-Umm: The Way To Heal. The purpose of the webinar is to dispel myths that Autism hinders children from learning creative skills, while also providing examples of Art’s ability to improve social communication.
Hosted by Derrick Small, film producer and father.