This question pops up a lot, usually alongside questions about empathy and socialisation.  The truth is, Autistic people are like anyone else in that we have our strengths and weaknesses and can choose to work on them or deviate entirely.  I will however introduce the paradigm that many Autistic people do not see the point in pursuing a task or topic which holds little pleasure or is not a necessity.  This may be the reason for the myth that we struggle to be creative.  It may be that in contrast to applied arts, fine art has no immediate function and therefore doesn’t hold value to some?

My belief is that in most cases the Autism brain knows what it likes, knows what it wants and will focus to that end.  Our honesty is often seen as brutal, but I find it more confusing that anyone would lie – especially to themselves.

When I was younger, art was all I wanted to do.  Both of my older brothers were A* maths students so I naturally compared myself and was always disappointed.  I did well in my GCSE and decided to take A Level maths as this would surely please my parents and gain far more respect as ‘that girl who draws horses all the time’! However, I reached the end of term 1 and realised I just couldn’t deny the strain of having to sit and do something that didn’t involve colour or observation or personal reflection.  I dropped out and instead opted for Art, Photography and Media Studies.  I learned a lesson and never turned my back on art again.

It is true (in my case anyway) that I struggle with abstraction, surrealism and some forms of impressionism. I cannot paint something and then try to convince others that there is meaning or emotion behind it. But my own artwork is definitely not the photorealism that many people associate with Autism.  I cannot draw a London skyline from memory so please don’t ask!

My strength comes from hyper-focus.

[ I don’t like the term ‘hyper-fixation’ as this conjures images of a dog playing fetch with a tennis ball all day.]

I knew that my future would be creative so I focussed on it entirely.  I read, I visit galleries and pop up exhibitions, I speak with fellow artists and I am constantly learning and evolving.  I adore the links between art, science and psychology as these 3 subjects are what separate us as a species from the others on this planet.

When I paint, I do it 80% from memory & imagination and the other 20% from reference.  I combine elements that I am familiar with and do my best to sit comfortably within ‘contemporary expressionism’ for this very reason.   I do not want photorealism because it simply doesn’t appeal to me. I want to grab the image in my head and project it for everyone to see!  And no, I’m not gifted.  I have spent many, many years evolving and refining my work until now I can make it match that image in my head.  A stubbornness and refusal to fail have driven me forward.  Like Einstein said, he wasn’t clever but simply had an enquiring mind and refused to stop asking questions.

I constantly get refused from high-street galleries because my work doesn’t have the aesthetic they’re looking for.  I do wonder if they would sell my work if I bought a 1m2 canvass and randomly threw some paint & gold leaf at it, or painted David Beckham like a Warhol.  But I cannot and WILL NOT follow the money or the crowd.  I am authentically me.  And I believe this is the gift that us Autistics have which sets us apart. We don’t want to compromise who we are to please others.  Not selfish, just pursuing our own narrative.  Read any of Temple Grandin’s books and you’ll see that is a truth which is something all of us should be embracing.

So yes, many Autistic people can be creative, but we cannot be anything other than authentic.