Today we’d like to introduce you to Cynthia Drucker.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Cynthia. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My son was born in Miami Beach in the year 1991. As the youngest of three boys, he was kept busy as a toddler. He was hitting all the major milestones that were expected, then by age 2 ½ -3 he seemed to regress. He stopped any babbling he was doing, stopped interacting with his brothers, stopped any eye contact with his parents. When he was three years old he was diagnosed with moderate to severe autism.
As he matured, the more progress was seen in his ability to communicate. He was 5-6 years old when he started speaking three-word sentences. He was thirteen when he started to learn how to read. His adolescent and teen years were very turbulent years as he struggled with communication disadvantages prompting behavior outbursts. Though his behaviors were a manifestation of his disability, there seemed to be no immediate or long-term answers to help him learn how to cope with the world around him. His entire education consisted of attending public school in autism cluster classes with two transfers in the district until he was “aged out” at 22.
With an uncertain future for him and multiple denied opportunities for traditional employment, I focused on his strengths and talents. He showed an interest in drawing since he was nine years old, often using his artistic talent to draw when his verbal skills were nonexistent.
He was 18, when we started focusing on his art talents and would go to art and craft events to sell his art reprints and notecards with his artwork printed on them and also participated in his first public art exhibit held at ArtServe in Fort Lauderdale in the exhibit Inside/Out. (2010)
I met other moms with children talented in the art who shared my same concerns of our children with autism finding meaningful employment. I formed the nonprofit Artists With Autism, Inc in 2012 with four “founding member artists”. We managed to participate in twelve art shows in our first twelve months. This momentum gave the artists a great experience interacting with the public and prepared them for our first brick and mortar gallery that opened at the Festival Marketpalce in January 2015.
My son manages the gallery as his full time “job” being compensated only when from the sales of his own artwork from the gallery and his commissioned artworks. As the main worker at the gallery, he oversees all the artsales from over 30 artists represented in the gallery. His responsibilities include opening the store, managing the cash sales, working the credit cards sales and interacting with the customers. Though I had my doubts about his ability to manage the gallery alone, he has surpassed all my expectations when it became obvious I would not be able to depend on daily volunteer help.
The Autism Art Gallery is 100% run and operated by artists with autism, their parents, and volunteers. The artists learn business skills, and social skills while “working” at the gallery as they often use the space as their studio. Those artists who are not at a comfort level to interact with the public, or not living close by are still invited to use the gallery as a platform to sell and market their artworks on consignment. The artists are encouraged to market themselves as professional artists and are provided additional opportunities to participate in events that help to develop their organizational and productivity skills. The micro-enterprise program offered as an AWA member shares valuable resources and workshops to help artists become more knowledgeable of self-promotion and alternative income streams for aspiring and emerging artists with autism.
At Artists With Autism, we Promote Micro-enterprise because we believe supported self-employment is a very real alternative to paid employment for individuals with disabilities, we Provide Opportunities for those individuals to share their talents to the world, that helps them Create Independence for themselves and give hope to their families.
Artists With Autism, Inc and the Autism Art Gallery, is helping individuals with autism have meaningful lives with purpose, by focusing on their talents and abilities, and helping them build a business around those talents and abilities. We just happen to sell awesome artwork at very affordable prices.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Most of the challenges have been the every day learning experiences that a person with autism would have to endure. Because the Autism Art Gallery is run by individuals with autism, there have been days they (the artists) would be taken advantage of. Though we tried to prepare and “train” the artists for situations that may arise, you can never prepare for every situation and all the possible variations. Individuals with autism are very trusting of others. Most of the time there are at least two persons in the gallery, and adult support volunteers are scheduled throughout the week. The situations had led me to install a video camera I can view remotely.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Artists With Autism Inc story. Tell us more about the business.
The Autism Art Gallery is unique in that it offers artists with autism a platform to sell and market their art, as well as the opportunity to “work” on site as a studio to interact with their potential customers. The Autism Art Gallery also collaborates with local schools with a micro-enterprise program to allow those students with disabilities the experience to work in a live retail setting.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I have been very fortunate to have had the support of local business and organizations to help promote our mission and purpose with gifted gallery space and gratis advertising, The many opportunities we have received has helped our community realize the potential of individuals with autism.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2900 West Sample Road, #B1519 Pompano Beach, Florida 33073
- Website: www.artistswithautism.org
- Phone: 954-895-2786
- Email: autismartgallery@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArtistswithAutismGallery/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/AutismGallery
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLAoA7oYdLq-OOKmtOiG09JYnMinGkKrtB
Image Credit:
Cynthia Drucker
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