When was she diagnosed with autism? What is that like for her?
Iris was diagnosed at 2 years old. For Iris, nothing really changed, but for us it was the start of something very good, at last we knew how to move forwards and help her, we could start to understand what was going on in her world. It was going to be a long journey but I felt positive we could change things for the better even though the doctors had other predictions.
When and how did Iris get introduced to painting?
We discovered Iris loved to paint after our attempts at preschool; she was 3 years old. At first, painting was just on my ‘to do’ list of activities that I wanted her to try and it wasn’t intended as a therapy or a way to connect with her. Then I noticed how much she enjoyed it, how relaxed and happy she was while she worked and how her body language changed. At that time she was mostly buried behind a fortress of books, never letting anyone even sit beside her on the sofa. When she painted, she danced on tiptoes in the kitchen, in the centre of our family home, delightfully requesting what she wanted by guiding my hand to the paint or back to the tap for more water. It was then I decided to leave the painting kit and table out for her everyday, so she may use it whenever she needed to. I even took everything outside in the garden so she could be in nature while she painted. It was the start to something that would change everything for our family, but at the time it was just doing one simple thing and that was to follow her interests.
What do you do with the paintings? I understand there is a book of her work out now?
In 2013, as Iris’s following grew on Facebook, I was asked many questions about her daily life so I decided to start to write little diary entries to allow people into her world. I continued to write and loved it, then was approached a year later to write the book which has many of Iris’s paintings in it. I wanted to raise awareness for autism and what it is like to live with autism, but also to show people there can be a bright future. I believe there is always a key and that is to follow the lead of your child.
You can find the book – Iris Grace – here.
Profits from the sales of her art go towards her therapies, education and future.
