Alice Darlington, a pioneer of Art classes targeted towards Autistic Patients
Meet Alice Darlington, a local woman with a passion for creativity and a will to help others, who has just started art classes specifically designed for individuals with Autism in her community. Darlington is the coordinator of Create and Sell classes and was first exposed to art as a form of expressive therapy upon the sudden demise of her mother on June 2014.
Alice herself was diagnosed with borderline Autism at the age of 12. Unsurprisingly, after her mother’s death, she struggled not only to cope with the loss but also to Autism 360 on a day to day basis. This was until she heard about a pottery class taking place in her community park.
Alice, Art class coordinator for Autistic Children says, “Though it was impossible to forget the pain that I was going through, still, for that 1 hour my mind was focused on something different. It was a welcome change and such a huge relief!”
Alice, Interacting with an Autistic Child During their Art sessions
This was an eye opener for Alice! She made up her mind to seek support from the Department of Health to be able to deliver art sessions geared more towards children with autism. Studies have already confirmed that Art is an extremely effective teaching strategy for Autism that allows a patient to express their feelings and showcase their talents without any inhibitions. However, Alice believes that there are at least 3 additional, yet very important advantages:
- It significantly boosts the confidence of the participants and helps them open their circles, very much like floor-time play therapy.
- Also, since many of the participants have not had any previous exposure to art, it generates a sense a curiosity among the students as they begin to ask questions
- Though the sessions are designed for individuals with Autism, they are inclusive i.e. offered to other children and individuals without any disability as well. This improves the social interaction of Autistic people as they get to communicate and work with other regular folks.
Needless to say, these are all considered massive steps in terms of the development of Autistic children.
I am Ash and I celebrate Neurodiversity! Growing up with an elder brother with severe Autism was tough – but it has also taught me essential life lessons. I don’t believe that people with Autism are necessarily or have any disorder (except in extreme cases). They are just different! And that is something to be proud of! I am passionate about helping other families who may have Autism conditions in their family. So please reach out and drop me a note. I will be glad to help 🙂
Where can I find any potter class for adult individuals with autism? Any where in Queens New York?
looking for a pottery class in Manhattan for a young man of 22 on the autistic spectrum
Please, how can one begin a class with children with autism? I am a pottery teacher from Nigeria and would love to learn a thing or two about starting a class with this special people. Thank you.
Grace
Hello and thank you for the article about pottery and autism. I’ve been a ceramics/visual arts instructor, exhibiting artist, writer and active proponent of the arts in education for most of my life. Recently, I have been in contact with a local Autism Center in Kansas City about possibly teaching art to students with Autism. I understand that pottery, painting, drawing and other art formats can be therapeutic, but I am curious about sculpture in clay. I’m unsure if the process would be welcome, and if it would be more acceptable as abstract or representational art. I’ve only worked with one student close to 30 years ago who was on the spectrum, and he specialized in simple abstract forms. I know every artist has their own directions and interests, but I don’t want to possibly “confront” any students by offering something that could put them “ill at ease”. On a separate note, I would love to see if there’s an article here to send to my publisher. I’ve been writing and publishing articles about art/ceramics nationally and internationally for decades. Depending on how this new project transpires, I’d love to collaborate with as many artists, academics, researchers, and visual artists on the spectrum who would be interested in working with me. Thanks so much, and I hope to hear from you soon.
Christopher (Chris) García.