Click to enlarge August 2009 East & Bays Courier article about the Art for Autism project
I've had a great time learning and collaborating with autistic children.
Together, we're creating an art exhibition like no other.
Over the last few months I've been painting one-on-one in my studio with a group of autistic children from around Auckland. I was inspired to assist the TAO Charitable Trust in fundraising to build The Cocoon, New Zealand’s first centre for autism.
'The Cocoon' designed by Michael Sin from BJA Architects
TAO Trust founder Jocelyn Oades says “The Cocoon, designed by architect Michael Sin of BJA Architects, incorporates eco-aware design specifically with the spectrum of autism in mind”. The Cocoon is a centralised unit, a 'home', in which experts can gather and work together to provide an informed consolidated diagnosis and a unified plan of intervention to meet the unique needs of each child.
On Thursday 3rd June at the Stamford Plaza Hotel there will be a charity cocktail evening entitled Without Boundaries – Art for Autism, where 12 collaborative artworks painted by the children and myself will be auctioned.
A significant proportion of the 40,000 New Zealanders with autistm are children and through this process I have experienced firsthand, albeit briefly, the special challenges and rewards these kids bring to our lives. They deserve to get the best possible assistance to realise their potential.
“Journey at Sea” by Sofia and Japheth (5yrs)
“Of Love and Things” by Sofia and Paris (5yrs)
“One Hungry Caterpillar” by Sofia and Kyle (7yrs)
“Spirit of Light” by Sofia and Japheth (5yrs)
“Le Train” by Sofia and Japheth (5 yrs)
“The Third Place” by Sofia and George (18yrs)
“Transformative” by Sofia and Balazs (5yrs)
“Bulldozer Yellow” by Sofia and Balazs (5yrs)
“Poppy” by Sofia and Soul (10yrs)
“Running Down the Stairs” by Sofia and Andy (9yrs)
“Swimming in a Stratosphere” by Sofia and Aedan (6yrs)
“Magic and Mystery” by Sofia and Archie (10yrs)
Come along to the cocktail evening with your family and friends. Thursday 3rd June 2010, 7:00pm at the Stamford Plaza Hotel, Auckland.
Tickets are $75 per head. The night will be a lot of fun with beverages, canapes and raffle prizes including a Romance and Seduction Accommodation Package valued at over $425. A selection of Sofia’s portrait and landscape oil paintings will be displayed on the night and she has generously donated a piece of her own artwork to be auctioned-off to one lucky bidder.
Twitvite: Twitvite: http://twtvite.com/nzartforautism
More info: http://sofiaminson.wordpress.com/art-for-autism/
Written by Sofia Minson from NewZealandArtwork.com
