Speaking with Body and Paintings: The Language of My Autistic Son
#autism, #paintings, #communication, #specialneeds, #parenting, #teen, #aggression Neurotypicals often lament that “non-verbal” autistic individuals, i.e., those who do not converse with formal languages (including sign language), like Sebastien, my autistic son, do not communicate. What if the truth is that they communicating in multiple creative and innovative languages with their unique codes that we are too blind to notice, because of our own reliance on formal language s
Week 5 of Serialization: Where Does My Autistic Son Belong?: Chapters 1 – Chapter 5
"I wished I could have said that my renunciation of physical force against Sebastien was a turning point in our story. Well, that didn’t happen. If anything, now that I no longer “fought” back, things were back to Square 0." In 2019, I published Where Does My Autistic Son Belong? that chronicles my journey of setting up a new life for Sebastien, my autistic son, after struggling with his aggression that erupted during his puberty and raged unabated for more than five years. T
Paintings by Jean-Sebastien Choo, Self-taught Autistic Artist — My Essence
My Essence (14 x 11 in, water color and poster color, canvas panel, SGD180 + shipping) People often ask me what Sebastien, my autistic son, is trying to "say" with his art — "Does he describe it to you?" They get a little disappointed when I shake my head. But this notion stems from the fact of our tendency to think about art as representation. But for Sebastien, an unguided and self-taught artist, who expresses emotions with his entire being, the painting embodies his enti
Paintings by Jean-Sebastien Choo, Self-taught Autistic Artist — Fantasy Archipelago
Fantasy Achipelago (14 x 11 in, water color, canvas panel, SGD180 + shipping) Sebastien is a self-taught, unguided autistic artist who currently lives in Bali, Indonesia — a natural and community-oriented environment that is suited to his sensitive temperament than his previous urban existence. We were fortunate to have learnt from David Trevelyan, a passionate and talented digital artist and sculptor who had lived in Bali for the past three decades (passed away in July 2020
Paintings by Jean-Sebastien Choo, Self-taught Autistic Artist — Pearl (9 x 12 in, water color)
Green Geyser (14 x 11 in, water color, canvas panel, SGD180 + shipping)
Sebastien is a self-taught, unguided autistic artist… Once you can relinquish normative perspectives, you can marvel at the magic of his creativity at work. “Sebastien's creativity is special because it is pure, natural, and intrinsic. The fact that his art is entirely self-taught is what has led to the preservation of the purity of his artistic originality.” Read more: Sebastien, My Autistic Son, is Ar
Paintings by Jean-Sebastien Choo, Self-taught Autistic Artist — Blazing Horizons
Blazing Hprizons (12 x 12 in, water color, canvas panel, SGD180 + shipping)
“Sebastien's artistic process has nothing to do with an aesthetic evaluation of how the painting looks like. Rather, what solely matters is how he feels. He stops when he feels "well" enough to exit from his "painting sanctuary". The painting thus immortalizes Sebastien's well-being in that moment in time. Therefore, what makes Sebastien's artworks and artistry so precious is that it is an expressio
Paintings by Jean-Sebastien Choo, Self-taught Autistic Artist — Pearl (9 x 12 in, water color)
Pearl (9 x 12 in, water color, canvas panel, SGD140 + shipping) Sebastien is a self-taught, unguided autistic artist… More than just an artistic "preference", Sebastien’s artistic instinct is inextricably intertwined with his endeavour to survive in our world. Read more: Sebastien, My Autistic Son, is Art Therapy (https://www.amotherswish.com.sg/single-post/2020/07/30/sebastien-my-autistic-son-is-art-therapy). To see more artwork and support his future, go to amotherswish.com
This Holiday Season, Check out Gifts Featuring Sebastien's Artwork on Red Bubble
This holiday season, explore a wide variety of gifts featuring three of Sebastien's artwork designs on Red Bubble — a platform that enables independent artists to sell items showcasing their unique artwork designs. All net proceeds will be split between A Mother's Wish (a social enterprise that supports families of autistic individuals) and Sebastien, my autistic son, for his future. Here are the 3 designs: Dragon's Lair (a original water color painting by Sebastien): https:/
