51ÁÔÆæ

1. ¡°My Thoughts¡±, Stephen Wiltshire

This time he presents us with a direction that even his closest confidants have never seen before, an unexpected and deeply personal subject, a frozen moment in time, his thoughts.

2. ¡°Whispers In Bloom¡±, Amrit Khurana

"Whispers in Bloom" is a visual symphony of vibrant colors and heartfelt connections, encapsulating the essence of love and family amidst a garden of blossoms. The canvas bursts with a profusion of flowers, each petal a brushstroke of vivid hues, creating an explosion of life and joy. At the heart of the composition lies a tender and intimate scene ¨C a central piece that portrays the warm embrace of a family unit. The figures, painted with care and attention to detail, exude a sense of unity, love, and shared moments. Their silhouettes are intertwined with the blossoms, symbolizing the seamless integration of familial bonds with the natural world.

3. ¡°The Noisemakers¡±, Gregory Blackstock

The Noisemakers from the Incomplete Historical World, Part II, 2021

The images in Noisemakers suggest strong emotions. Thunder and lightning storms, party poppers, tornadoes---and all manner of fireworks are loud, noisy, invasive sounds to one¡¯s environment. Consider the "Loud, Filthy-mouthed Offender, the Overemotional Dirtbag?" Exciting? Aversive? Over stimulating? Sensory overload?

4. ¡°Thesaurus¡±, Gregory Blackstock

This meticulously handwritten list categorizes words that convey a range of emotions.

5. ¡°Thrown Into a World that Overwhelms¡±, Michael Hannon

Working in forms from Asian brush painting and medieval manuscript illumination, this piece is influenced by Chinese calligraphy and poetry.

6. ¡°Childhood¡±, Max Lazebnik

Reflections of being watched and judged for one¡¯s behavior. A desire for peace and to be alone. The eyes in the dark stormy clouds represent the judgments of therapists and society. The sandbox and entering rainbow represents the peacefulness of playing alone.

7. ¡°Angry Self-Portrait¡±, David Karasow

¡°I¡¯m stuck forever trying and changing nothing, while it seems everyone else hardly tries and has everything. Yet my sense of humor and artistic talents are socially celebrated, never filling the deep emotional desire to escape loneliness and isolation.¡±- David Karasow

8. ¡°Insecure Self-Portrait¡±, David Karasow

¡°But the second I¡¯m not art making and alone, ¡®DOOM¡¯ is my majority mental state. It seems that I was born/made without self esteem/pride. Of recent I have tried to fake it to make it, but still, I have no friends or dates of female persuasion.¡±- David Karasow

9. ¡°Hope¡±, Viktor Bevanda

The eyes tell a tale of hope and resilience.

10. ¡°Intense Self-Portrait¡±, David Karasow

¡°My entire life experience has been insecure anxiety depression along with a regular bad memory. Only peaceful positive company alleviates the pressure occupying my mind in tasks of deep concentration, such as art, temporarily distracts and allows for mental peace to occur.¡±- David Karasow

11. ¡°My Mummy¡±, Ping Lian Yeak

The emotional bond with ¡°Mummy¡± is evident in this heartwarming painting, which radiates joy, warmth, and love. The tilt of the head expresses an acknowledgment of understanding and patience, capturing the warmth and grace of the mother with much attention to detail.

12. ¡°Sleep¡±, Daniel Wattenbarger

Self-portrait - drifting from chaos.

13. ¡°Different Natural Selection¡±, Donna Williams

¡°Natural selection is a pun. On the one hand it is about the idea of evolution and the place of people with autism or disabilities within that concept. On the other hand it is about being wild, spontaneous, real, and begs the question ¡®If you knew I was like this, would you have chosen me?¡±- Donna Williams

14. ¡°Count On Me¡±, Amrit Khurana

¡°If you¡¯re tossin' and you're turnin' and you just can't fall asleep I'll sing a song beside you. And if you ever forget how much you really mean to me. Every day I will remind you. You can count on me."- Amrit Khurana

15. ¡°Chaos to Calm¡±, Amanda LaMunyon

This explosion of nature with beautiful flowers represents sensory issues and the need for the organization of external stimuli that are often overstimulating.

16. ¡°Rage¡±, Haile King-Rubie

"Rage" expresses intense frustration, anger, and inner turmoil in a world of developmental challenges. "I scream, I cry, I'm lost. You will only find me in my art.¡±

17. ¡°Untitled¡± #51, Jonathan Lerman

A partial facial figure that has been blurred, yet the amplified eye is bound to the interpretive perspectives of the observer.

18. "The God is wrong", Jonathan Lerman

From a series of portraits printed in the 2002 book Jonathan Lerman: Drawings by an Artist with Autism.

¡°The drawings provide a glimpse of a process of visual association unfolding over time. The Man appears to be a powerful and even transgressive figure...and the signs that appear with him (The God Is Wrong) suggest an apocalypse"- Lyle Rexer

19. ¡°Second Movement¡±, Ja Tan

¡°Second Movement¡± is part of a 3 - part series of ¡®Sound and Movement¡¯¡± paintings created with music quietly playing in the background. ¡°Art is my silent dialogue with the world I see and hear. Each stroke brings clarity and expression of these varied situations and states of mind and feeling. Words fade¡­.but colors, like music, continue to speak long after some of its vibrant shades are gone.¡±

20. ¡°Self-Portrait¡±, Daryl Neeson

The artist expresses himself in the music he produces. His music is intense, with low-pitched chords and minor keys typically evoking emotions of sorrow, arousal, and introspection. In contrast, this "Self-portrait" expresses the happiness experienced when Neeson is creating his music and art, linked with his love of space and what is out there beyond the earth¡¯s atmosphere.

21. ¡°Invitation¡±, Donna Williams

"One step beyond daring is invitation. Is that the point where one stops being self-contained and becomes curious? ...open to the viewer."- Donna Williams

22. ¡°Tears From Heaven¡±, Bryan Friedland

"Tears from Heaven" was done shortly after the recent war with Hamas began. Empathy is apparent in God¡¯s tears pouring down from the heavens to put out the fires in hopes that this war would end soon.

23. ¡°Fear vs. Safe¡±, Trent Altman

The painting features a dark golden background that sets a profound tone. The dark side media strips are cut-out mixed media strips from his previous canvases that represent his fear and uncertainty, conveying heaviness and apprehension. In contrast, the other half of the painting showcases vibrant rainbow colors, symbolizing safety and acceptance, radiating positivity and warmth. Together, these halves create a striking dichotomy, illustrating the contrasting experiences of the autistic artist and capturing the complexity of navigating between fear and safety in his emotional journey.

24. "Judy Heumann 504", Max LaZebnik

Honoring the late disability rights activist Judy Heumann. In the 1970's, she rallied for Section 504, which granted people with disabilities the right to education, protecting them from discrimination. The numbers "504" are written throughout the piece to reflect Heumann's legacy. Judy is "blended in" to the colored background to promote inclusion and her being "included", just like she did. The rainbow background represents diversity as a whole.

25. ¡°This is Peace¡±, Emily Spinks

Enduring many years of being terrified by her own environment and her hyper-sensory issues, this hodgepodge of words and peaceful doves strives to transcend tranquility.

26. ¡°Jesus in Me¡±, Leland Lee

This abstract artwork captures the essence of spirituality and faith, featuring muted yellow and blue hues.

27. ¡°The Gloomy Protane¡±, DJ Svoboda

Gloomy is a character from the ¡°Imagifriends¡± collection of Svoboda¡¯s ¡°Imagiville¡±; where no one is mistreated. The Gloomy Protane is a very harmless Imagifriend who often likes to have his time alone when he feels a little gloomy and a little bit lonely.

28.¡°Don¡¯t Hurt My Feelings¡±, Justin Canha

This thought-provoking comic strip explores the nuances of human interaction and emotional intelligence, detailing the view of a person with Asperger's and acceptance of their interests.

29. ¡°Emotional Breakdown¡±, Amoako Buachie

Explore the complexities of human behavior, a physical tantrum, and the vulnerability of raw emotion and chaos. The drinking cup may symbolize a thirst for friendship, as seen in the dog's proximity, love, and prayer, as seen in the book titles.

30. ¡°Van Gogh¡±, Lucas Ksenhuk

¡°Art is to console those who are broken by life.¡±...Vincent Van Gogh. Van Gogh believed that art has the power to heal and console. Art is a way to connect with the human experience to offer comfort and solace in times of difficulty and pain.

31. ¡°How Do You Feel Today?¡±, Noa Davis

"My artwork expresses all the feelings that we all experience. I like that.¡±- Noa Davis

Closing statement

This exhibition is organized by Strokes of Genius, Inc. Strokes of Genius?, Inc. (SOG) is a nonprofit organization deeply committed to supporting the artistic talents of individuals on the autism spectrum. Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by social impairments, communication difficulties, and stereotyped patterns of aberrant behavior. Strokes of Genius? Inc. seeks to empower the individual by seeking and creating opportunities to showcase the artist's works while providing a vehicle for them to enjoy doing what they love. Opportunities to enable the artists to generate income from their creativity are established, whether it is selling artwork or part-time positions as seasonal window artists, cake decorators, or authors seeking artists for their publications. They create professional artist portfolios and provide artist representation to seek out grant opportunities, juried exhibitions, and art contests for those artists who need assistance. They seek participation in mainstream galleries, curate art exhibitions, and establish personalized online art galleries for individual artists. SOG empowers neurodiverse artists by promoting individual' abilities' in contrast to disability. Societal awareness and engagement are crucial for increased inclusion, independence, leisure, and employment opportunities for neurodiverse artists. "Don't 'dis' ability"!

Organized and curated by Rosa C. Martinez, Ph.D., President and founder of Strokes of Genius, Inc.

This exhibition is sponsored by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).