AGXStarseed
Well-Known Member
(Not written by me)
Chris Russell had long been tormented by her inability to 'fit in'. Only diagnosed with Asperger's in her 40s she is now holding an art exhibition to raise awareness of autism in adults.Tom Morrisreports
At first glance Chris Russell's pieces for her upcoming art exhibition would appear to be photographs.
But in fact if you look carefully the picture perfect images are in fact created using pastels.
Entitled 'Looking Up' Chris, 47, only returned to art after being diagnosed with Asperger's a few years ago and the results are extraordinary and an example of how obsession for detail plays a large role in the condition.
The diagnosis of her condition has been truly life-changing for Chris who until now has struggled to understand why she was so "different".
"I had been pretty much miserable for my entire life until getting my diagnosis," Chris said.
Ever since she was a child Chris had known something was not right but couldn't put her finger on it.
"I didn't understand what other kids were talking about," Chris said.
"I would arrange with the teachers to stay indoors at break time either in the library or classroom.
"I wasn't interested in what the other kids were saying or interested in what kids are interested in. I liked taxonomy and ancient Greek literature.
"I was proud that aged nine I could spell and give the definition for antidisestablishmentarianism."
Instead of racing around the playground Chris spent her time at Henbury School devouring technical reference books. She loved dinosaurs but not in the sense of their 'roar' factor but because they could be classified in their Latin names.
"If the kids in the playground didn't want to talk about the minutiae of different species of beetle then it didn't really go very well," she said.
Unfortunately things didn't improve as Chris got older - in fact with the arrival of teenage years and all the awkwardness that brings - things got harder.
Worse still Chris also had absolutely no idea why she found it so impossible to fit in.
"It was a feeling of utter alienation," she said.
"I would feel very anxious and was scared of saying the wrong thing - I didn't understand the social rules.
"When someone asked me how my weekend was I'd tell them just how awful it was.
"I didn't realise they didn't really want to know - I just took things literally so it could be a bit of a minefield."
As a result Chris, instead of risking saying or doing the wrong thing, separated herself from the situation altogether, isolating herself further.
Sadly bullying did accompany her plight with Chris finding it hard to "get on with anybody."
She left Henbury to do a BTEC in graphics at BrunelTech
where she unexpectedly met her husband Ian.
"He was my first boyfriend and is very gregarious and social," Chris said.
"I don't really have friends so live my life through him by proxy. I have a lot to thank him for as I would not have had the opportunity to learn how to be in social situations without him."
I ask Chris why - given the description of her behaviour - she thought Ian was interested?
"It's very difficult to get out of him why he was interested in me," she said.
"The appeal for me when we met was simply that he tolerated me at all. But now I realise how lucky I was to meet someone as loving and supportive as Ian."
It would certainly seem to have given that they couple have now been married 25 years and have a 10-year-old son Charlie together.
After college Chris carried on burying herself in books instead of risking social situations.
She would find herself working 75 hour weeks in a desperate bid to 'please' people while also battling depression as the question of what was wrong with her and why she wasn't happy remained unsolved.
Her character prevented her from connecting with colleagues ofclients. As a result Chris found herself passed over for promotion and when redundancies came round she was an easy target.
Five years ago - after her latest redundancy - Chris joined a local secondary academy as cover for absent teaching staff - her "insane" ability to absorb large volumes of facts quickly proving helpful.
Interestingly Chris finds children easy to deal with "because they appreciate honesty" and the school has a clear set of rules. Break times are a different kettle of fish though with Chris retreating to the library rather than risk tackling the staff room.
"When is it acceptable to join a conversation or to leave it? It's too complicated," she says.
But the move to the school also brought Chris some of the answers she had desperately been searching for.
The school were expecting some autistic students so held a presentation for staff.
"I was, as most are, relatively ignorant of the breadth of the autistic spectrum and it's characteristics," Chris said.
"However it became immediately clear that I shared the 'triad of social impairments' that is the most important indicator.
"I cried quietly to myself for the rest of the hour-long presentation, as the implications became apparent, one by one. Two years later, I had my diagnosis."
Finally Chris at least had a reason for her behaviour - for why perhaps she didn't get on with people.
"It was life changing," she said.
"It made me realise that I am not a bad person. I want to be a nice person."
For more information about autism visitwww.autism.org.uk/
Looking Up
After being diagnosed with Asperger's Chris got in touch with the Bristol Autism Spectrum Service (BASS) who provideadvicefor autistic adults in Bristol.
She was encouraged to take up 'structured socialising' and joined Hanham Art Club.
Now between October 27 and November 2 Chris's outstanding works will be shown at the Paper Arts Gallery in Broadmead entitled 'Looking Up'.
Chris said: "I had not painted since I was at school, so I had some catching up to do.
"Without my family's and BASS's support I would never have reached this point.
"I would like to try and encourage other autistic adults to show their skills off, and provide a platform for more discussion of autism in adults.
"It occurs to me that I could use the attention that my work creates to create more awareness of autism, particularly in adults.
"This, in the hope thatemployersmay reconsider the 'resident 'nerd' who never goes to the office social' and investigate their real potential as an employee."
What is Asperger's?
Asperger syndrome is a form of autism, which is a lifelong disability that affects how a person makes sense of the world, processes information and relates to other people.
Autism is often described as a 'spectrum disorder' because the condition affects people in many different ways and to varying degrees.
Asperger syndrome is mostly a 'hidden disability'. This means that you can't tell that someone has the condition from their outward appearance.
People with the condition have difficulties in three main areas. They are socialcommunication
, social interaction and social imagination.
They are often referred to as 'the triad of impairments'.
While there are similarities with autism, people with Asperger syndrome have fewer problems with speaking and are often of average, or above average, intelligence.With the right support and encouragement, people with Asperger syndrome can lead full and independent lives.
Source: The National Autistic Society
( http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/hcsdcnsd-scbsdic/story-27983591-detail/story.html#1 )
Chris Russell had long been tormented by her inability to 'fit in'. Only diagnosed with Asperger's in her 40s she is now holding an art exhibition to raise awareness of autism in adults.Tom Morrisreports
At first glance Chris Russell's pieces for her upcoming art exhibition would appear to be photographs.
But in fact if you look carefully the picture perfect images are in fact created using pastels.
Entitled 'Looking Up' Chris, 47, only returned to art after being diagnosed with Asperger's a few years ago and the results are extraordinary and an example of how obsession for detail plays a large role in the condition.
The diagnosis of her condition has been truly life-changing for Chris who until now has struggled to understand why she was so "different".
"I had been pretty much miserable for my entire life until getting my diagnosis," Chris said.
Ever since she was a child Chris had known something was not right but couldn't put her finger on it.
"I didn't understand what other kids were talking about," Chris said.
"I would arrange with the teachers to stay indoors at break time either in the library or classroom.
"I wasn't interested in what the other kids were saying or interested in what kids are interested in. I liked taxonomy and ancient Greek literature.
"I was proud that aged nine I could spell and give the definition for antidisestablishmentarianism."
Instead of racing around the playground Chris spent her time at Henbury School devouring technical reference books. She loved dinosaurs but not in the sense of their 'roar' factor but because they could be classified in their Latin names.
"If the kids in the playground didn't want to talk about the minutiae of different species of beetle then it didn't really go very well," she said.
Unfortunately things didn't improve as Chris got older - in fact with the arrival of teenage years and all the awkwardness that brings - things got harder.
Worse still Chris also had absolutely no idea why she found it so impossible to fit in.
"It was a feeling of utter alienation," she said.
"I would feel very anxious and was scared of saying the wrong thing - I didn't understand the social rules.
"When someone asked me how my weekend was I'd tell them just how awful it was.
"I didn't realise they didn't really want to know - I just took things literally so it could be a bit of a minefield."
As a result Chris, instead of risking saying or doing the wrong thing, separated herself from the situation altogether, isolating herself further.
Sadly bullying did accompany her plight with Chris finding it hard to "get on with anybody."
She left Henbury to do a BTEC in graphics at BrunelTech
where she unexpectedly met her husband Ian."He was my first boyfriend and is very gregarious and social," Chris said.
"I don't really have friends so live my life through him by proxy. I have a lot to thank him for as I would not have had the opportunity to learn how to be in social situations without him."
I ask Chris why - given the description of her behaviour - she thought Ian was interested?
"It's very difficult to get out of him why he was interested in me," she said.
"The appeal for me when we met was simply that he tolerated me at all. But now I realise how lucky I was to meet someone as loving and supportive as Ian."
It would certainly seem to have given that they couple have now been married 25 years and have a 10-year-old son Charlie together.
After college Chris carried on burying herself in books instead of risking social situations.
She would find herself working 75 hour weeks in a desperate bid to 'please' people while also battling depression as the question of what was wrong with her and why she wasn't happy remained unsolved.
Her character prevented her from connecting with colleagues ofclients
. As a result Chris found herself passed over for promotion and when redundancies came round she was an easy target.Five years ago - after her latest redundancy - Chris joined a local secondary academy as cover for absent teaching staff - her "insane" ability to absorb large volumes of facts quickly proving helpful.
Interestingly Chris finds children easy to deal with "because they appreciate honesty" and the school has a clear set of rules. Break times are a different kettle of fish though with Chris retreating to the library rather than risk tackling the staff room.
"When is it acceptable to join a conversation or to leave it? It's too complicated," she says.
But the move to the school also brought Chris some of the answers she had desperately been searching for.
The school were expecting some autistic students so held a presentation for staff.
"I was, as most are, relatively ignorant of the breadth of the autistic spectrum and it's characteristics," Chris said.
"However it became immediately clear that I shared the 'triad of social impairments' that is the most important indicator.
"I cried quietly to myself for the rest of the hour-long presentation, as the implications became apparent, one by one. Two years later, I had my diagnosis."
Finally Chris at least had a reason for her behaviour - for why perhaps she didn't get on with people.
"It was life changing," she said.
"It made me realise that I am not a bad person. I want to be a nice person."
For more information about autism visitwww.autism.org.uk/
Looking Up
After being diagnosed with Asperger's Chris got in touch with the Bristol Autism Spectrum Service (BASS) who provideadvice
for autistic adults in Bristol.She was encouraged to take up 'structured socialising' and joined Hanham Art Club.
Now between October 27 and November 2 Chris's outstanding works will be shown at the Paper Arts Gallery in Broadmead entitled 'Looking Up'.
Chris said: "I had not painted since I was at school, so I had some catching up to do.
"Without my family's and BASS's support I would never have reached this point.
"I would like to try and encourage other autistic adults to show their skills off, and provide a platform for more discussion of autism in adults.
"It occurs to me that I could use the attention that my work creates to create more awareness of autism, particularly in adults.
"This, in the hope thatemployers
may reconsider the 'resident 'nerd' who never goes to the office social' and investigate their real potential as an employee."What is Asperger's?
Asperger syndrome is a form of autism, which is a lifelong disability that affects how a person makes sense of the world, processes information and relates to other people.
Autism is often described as a 'spectrum disorder' because the condition affects people in many different ways and to varying degrees.
Asperger syndrome is mostly a 'hidden disability'. This means that you can't tell that someone has the condition from their outward appearance.
People with the condition have difficulties in three main areas. They are socialcommunication
, social interaction and social imagination.They are often referred to as 'the triad of impairments'.
While there are similarities with autism, people with Asperger syndrome have fewer problems with speaking and are often of average, or above average, intelligence.With the right support and encouragement, people with Asperger syndrome can lead full and independent lives.
Source: The National Autistic Society
( http://www.bristolpost.co.uk/hcsdcnsd-scbsdic/story-27983591-detail/story.html#1 )
