April is Autism Awareness Month

According to the National Institutes of Health, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurological and developmental disorder that affects how people interact with others, communicate, learn, and behave.

But there’s so much more to learn. And while our brains may function differently, the idea that individuals with autism can’t embrace creativity simply isn’t true. Some artists with autism say that the differences help with their creative pursuits, like these 10 artists. Check out their stories here.

Like every artist, in every medium, artists with autism create based on their own personal experience, providing windows into their worlds in a very relatable way. The idea that artists and the work they create is unconventional has made it easier for some artists to express themselves without having to explain themselves. Some artists’ works are extremely detail oriented. Some embrace the comfort of repetition in their work. Still others paint the world as they see it, in colors and compositions reflecting their individual perspectives.

April is Autism Awareness Month and here at Red Stone Glen, we strive to celebrate the creativity of all artisans, so we wanted to share a Michigan-based initiative to encourage artisans with autism to explore their creativity with weaving. Ability Weavers was designed to offer meaningful, artistic, creative employment to individuals with different needs. Working alongside one another, these artisans make beautiful weavings which are then offered for sale. It’s a beautiful, sustainable business enterprise, and we encourage all our fiber friends to take a look at the good work going on in Lowell, MI.