Eleanor Yap
Twelve-year-old Seagate Lim, who has Asperger syndrome, resonates a lot with his favourite painter, Vincent van Gogh. “He is like me as he had some emotional problems.” And, that is not all he has in common with the Post-Impressionist painter who is well-known for his works like “Sunflowers” and “Wheatfield with Crows”. Seagate also enjoys painting, and this has grown since he joined the Little Artists Art Studio five years ago and goes once a week for two hours.
“Painting helps me to express my feelings and emotions. I can express myself boldly and freely in my artwork; there is no right and wrong in the world of art. Art has taught the perfectionist in me to see things in different perspectives. I learnt that I can be imperfect to be perfect.”
Seagate’s condition is considered to be at the highest functioning end of the autism spectrum disorders. His mother Yen also shared that on top of that, he has sensory disorder which makes him very sensitive to sound and smell. “In the past, he had trouble touching sticky things such as sand and grass. If there was a spot on his shirt, we would have to change his shirt immediately. But over time, he has out-grown this. Now he can get all dirty, especially with his art and he doesn’t mind it! He has come a long way.”
This little artist is also going places like van Gogh! Seagate’s artwork called HOPE was exhibited at the Little Artists’ 20th Anniversary LAUREATES Exhibition at National Gallery Singapore in early September. Explaining his work: “HOPE is a reflection of my belief. I used ropes to outline a strand of human DNA, which signifies the sinful nature of mankind. It is this bondage to sin that causes the world to go into destruction(s), thus in my piece, part of the Earth is destroyed by fire. The black background shows that we are living in a dark time. But, there is a Northern Star that shines brightly on the Earth. There is still HOPE for the world.
“I hope my piece will encourage everyone to understand that, ‘We have all made mistakes. Don’t despair. Look up for the light that brings HOPE. It will lead us out of darkness!'”
Benefits of art
Founder of Little Artists Art Studio, Shalini Kapoor, shared: “Art is a strong means of communication. By effecting a positive change, even children with issues such as Asperger’s, dyslexia, attention deficiency or sensory perception disorders can be assisted to prevent social alienation in their later years.”
For caregivers who want to include art into their activities, Shalini shared these tips:
- Create a safe and loving environment that allows the child to express himself and to make mistakes.
- Embrace his efforts though it may not amount to anything much at the beginning.
- Gently connect with him by communicating with him about his work.
- Introduce him to new materials which suit him or match his interest.
- Painting can be done with his hands instead of a brush.
- Encourage him to play, experiment and to discover the people and the world around him.
“The idea is to open the mind of the child through play. Encourage him to share his thoughts and when he starts to believe in himself, expose him to a range of possibilities. Whether it is with words or through mediums which he uses to communicate his innermost emotions, allow the child to express himself freely,” added Shalini.
“Once the trust is instilled, the child’s confidence and self-esteem will grow. He will settle down to developing didactically, learning as he goes about working on perfecting his artwork and solving problems.”
Art therapy can also cross age barriers and can help those living with dementia. Shalini shared about one of her oldest students, a 75-year-old with dementia, who initially “felt worthless to society”. She added that her self-worth was re-instilled through sensorial art and her eye-hand coordination and alertness has since improved.
