Artist with Asperger's

Hello everyone. I'm Patrick [removed by moderator]. I have Asperger Syndrome and a few other things. I keep myself busy by doing art every day. I've had a few exhibitions of my work and I do talks around the country about how art therapy has helped me. I have a carer and I enjoy playing with my dog, he's a 3 year old Belgian Malinois called Chase.

I struggle with making friends, being outside on my own and find it difficult to keep calm when I experience sensory overload. I have outbursts, but since taking up art I haven't self harmed, head banged or needed to be restrained. It's been a lot better. 

My medication helps, but sometimes I wish I didn't have to take it. I work off my aggression and agitation as best as I can at the gym in the mornings when it's quiet and I find that helps me for the rest of the day.

I get very tired by 8pm and sleepy, but then by 11pm I'm wide awake and restless again. It goes on waves like that.

Anyway, I just wanted to introduce myself and say hi. Here's a video of me [removed by moderator]

You can see some of my art on my site [removed by moderator] 

Parents
  • Hello, I'm really interested in this thread and I wonder if some of the artists here might be able to give me a few pointers.

    It sounds as if , having had as you put it a few exhibitions you might be used to public engagement.

    I am an author and I am about to start a round of book signings for my latest novel. to be honest I'm getting quite fretful about the whole thing. manybe I'll cope better once the whole thing is underway but at the moment I'm wishing that I hadn't signed the publishing contract.

    any help out there to cope with this? (or am i just being a wimp?)

Reply
  • Hello, I'm really interested in this thread and I wonder if some of the artists here might be able to give me a few pointers.

    It sounds as if , having had as you put it a few exhibitions you might be used to public engagement.

    I am an author and I am about to start a round of book signings for my latest novel. to be honest I'm getting quite fretful about the whole thing. manybe I'll cope better once the whole thing is underway but at the moment I'm wishing that I hadn't signed the publishing contract.

    any help out there to cope with this? (or am i just being a wimp?)

Children
  • I am an artist who often doesn't attend my exhibitions /performances / events etc. A representative goes for me or I do everything remotely. Sometimes i go in disguise and hide in plain view. Just an alternative ways of looking at things. 

  • I don't think you are being a wimp at all. I love that I have books signed by authors but I couldn't go to a book signing.  I'm trying right now to decide whether it would be an intrusion to message an author and ask if I could send them my copy of a book for them to sign it for me.