The genius in autism

“MOTHER AND CHILD” by Kristof Trambulo

My daughter, Barbra (named after Barbra Streisand by my husband, Totoy), the ninth of our 10 children, chose to be a teacher of children with special needs. Years ago, I asked her, “Why did you choose these children to teach? There are so many bright, talented and ‘normal’ youths that could be easier and more interesting to mentor!”

“CHEF” by Jayvee Fua

Her answer was, “But, who will teach the angels?” With that answer, I never questioned her choice of career ever again.

As the years went by, Barbra kept asking me about art activities that the special children in her school could engage in. Their handicaps were varied: speech difficulty, short attention span, some had behavioral problems, and others were retarded.

But most of them were healthy—so, why not interest them in a variety of art activities? Having taught art to children of different ages, I’ve discovered that art, when taught to children “the progressive way,” can be a medium of self-expression. It is a pictorial language that gives children an outlet for their imagination, emotions, dreams and aspirations. It also provides them with catharsis for their frustrations.

“PLUMBER” by Biel Vinzon

Here are some of the artworks by children at Bridges Foundation. As a painter and art educator, what amazes me about these paintings are their complete sense of artistic freedom, lack of fear about being graded, lack of inhibition, intuitive sense of composition, emotional choice of color, sense of discovery—and finally, when their artwork is displayed, their sense of fulfilment and pride in what they’ve created!

To share the valuable fruits of its very successful art program, Bridges will hold a two-day exhibit of artworks by 15 “differently abled” adolescent students at the second floor of The Block at SM North Edsa, as a prelude to “World Autism Awareness Day” on April 2.

The art exhibit, entitled, “Art of the Innocents,” will be opened on March 28 at 6 p.m. On March 29, a seminar on “Teaching Art to the Innocents” will be offered from 4 to 6 p.m. Call Bridges Foundation Inc. at 372-0752 to 53 and ask for Betty Layosa.