From the very beginning the autistic child is neurologically predisposed to seeing and experiencing the world in a way we do not. Parents know this all too well when they witness their child showing an unrelenting fixation with sights, patterns, textures and objects that to a typical person are mundane. Of course, sights, patterns, textures and objects all belong to the language of artists, which makes the person on the spectrum ideal contributors to the landscape of visual arts.

The artists at Autistic Services take up their brush at an early age. Dana Ranke, the teaching artist for the arts education program, helps children as young as 5 years old  translate their sensory-seeking habits into colorful canvases. It all begins with select materials that are geared towardssatisfying multiple sensory modalities: Traditional paints, finger paints, clay, playdough, paper weaving, paper collage, textile collage, stencils, stickers, scratch paper, leaf printing. These are just some of the tools at their disposal – literally. “Some are still learning the basics,” Dana says smiling, “markers are left uncapped, paint gets spilled and papers get ripped, it is all part of the learning process. But overall there is a deep affinity for the media. Whether it is paint, pastel, wood or photography, our artists have an attraction to, and feel at ease with the materials they are working with.”  Exposure to a multitude of art-making materials and resources are a goldmine to both artist and autistic alike. This is why Dana sees little difference between the two: “I actually see many similarities between our artists and those referred to as great artists. Our artists have an ability to express subject matter and use materials in an original way; there is a clarity and directness in the work.”


Dana is referring to both the young artists in her classroom and the adult artists who, after graduating from the education program, are able to continue their artistic endeavors at the Buffalo and Williamsville locations. “In the education program there are 12 classes divided by age range.” She explains. “The youngest students are in the age 5-7 class. Students in the program may graduate at a maximum age of 21, so in those classes the students are older teenagers and young adults. There are 6 students in each class.”  Because all classes participate in the art program, by the end of each week, Dana will have acted as art instructor for all 72 students. 

The works done in the education program, including those works done by the adult programs are all included in a travelling exhibition throughout the year. Working along side the adult program’s two teaching artists, Todd Lesmeister and Brian Kavanaugh, Dana assists in the coordination of these exhibitions. This gives her a chance to see the maturation of styles between both groups. “Many of them have already begun to gravitate toward specific media and their work has a recognizable ‘style’ and consistent subject matter. I have several students, a few in the 10- to 12-year-old age range who have adamant preferences as to media, technique, and content in the work they do. In one case there are sophisticated film and media references, such as to the director, Fellini. In another, there is a maturity in paint handling and color mixing.”

Community participation is an obvious hallmark of success, but for our agency the receptivity of our artists is the true symbol of  the program’s success. Engagement is not a given with Autism and yet, as Dana has noticed, some of the program’s students are warming up to making appearances at their exhibitions. “I think what attracts people to the work is its very distinctive point of view. It is a combination of the unique content and their facility for expressing that content. Not all the students will make appearances, but I do have some who enjoy exhibiting their work and attending art openings.”

Accomplished artists they are, albeit, putting a definition on ‘accomplished art’ is as difficult as putting a definition on Autism. Art and Autism have much in common. As Dana concludes, “We have a very wide range of abilities here, with autism it is impossible to generalize.”

What art collector wouldn’t love to hear those words? And yet those are the very words heard often by Michael Anastasia of Financial Architects. The addition of a paintng, done by an artist with Autism, on their lobby wall has since turned it into an attraction.

Michael isn’t the only one to benefit from this art. Since the collection’s inception less than a year ago, nearly a dozen Western New York businesses and organizations have turned to Autistic Services, seeking unique and orignal art for their venues. Some of these borrowing venues you may have even heard of: Spot Coffee, Buffalo State College, Brodo, The Rath Building. The response so far?

“We LOVE the work we have.”
“Great Job! The office looks great. Thank you.”
“AWESOME! Thanks so much.”

The origin of our Lending Art Collection can be traced back to our year-long traveling exhibitions. As our attendees grew in number, so did the number of inquiries
about the work. Not wanting to sell the work, the idea soon emerged to make the work available on loan. The collection has since enjoyed considerable success. As Michael says about the central piece in FA’s lobby, “Jack in the Bread is the focal point of our office. It is colorful and eye-catching, and provides an instant
talking point to discuss ASI.”

If you have an interest in our Lending Art Collection, let us know by calling us at 631-5777. There is no charge for this service. Our goal is to raise Autism awareness, create partnerships and share the work of these artists with our community.

On October 9th we wrapped up our Seventh Annual Arts Work reception, raisng $32,000 for our Arts Work program. When we first created the event, we knew that we wanted it to be our biggest fundraiser of the year. However, these days it has grown to become more than that.

Arts Work is now something of a grand finale of all the art related projects that were achieved throughout the year; it is a culmination, in one night, of all of the year’s paintings and performances done by our artists. There’s a lot of preparation leading up to the event, and as you can imagine, there is also a huge catharsis that follows the day after. That single day is like a door that sits between the accomplishments of the year past, and the ambitions for the year ahead.

For this reason, we decided not to make our Winter Newsletter exclusively about Arts Work 2009. We decided instead to make it about two great leaps that were made this year because of the continued success of Arts Work. It is because of the money we raise in Arts Work that we are able to continue including the arts as part of our education and adult programs. Both programs allow us to foster budding artists from the classroom up into adulthood where they continue work at one of our two new facilities in Buffalo and Williamsville.

The other major leap is that we’ve turned all of this great art into a successful Lending Collection, to which nearly a dozen
organizations have turned for original art. We hope that you’re as excited as we are about these accomplishments. It is evidence of the efficacy of your support, which keeps the arts alive at Autistic Services.

Veronica Federiconi,

Veronica Federiconi,
Executive Director