April is Autism Awareness month.
Every year, Baloo's Buddies holds a large, inclusive, community-based art event in Bahrain to raise awareness about autism.
Our moto for these events is INCLUDE, ENABLE, INSPIRE: we include everyone in everything we do, enable everyone with their unique abilities to reach their full potential and inspire others to do the same.
This year we aren't able to hold a public event due to COVID-19. So we've gone vitual with our art project!
Baloo's Buddies project is called Arty's Art Challenge for Autism Awareness and each Wednesday in April we will be posting a theme here on GDNlife and on Instagram @baloosbuddies and Facebook Baloo's Buddies Bahrain for anyone and everyone, anywhere in the world to explore in art. From 2 to 102, you can paint, sketch, stitch, knit, build, sing, dance, write, photograph or video your interpretation of the theme.
Last week we looked at inclusion. This week's theme is Celebrating our Differences. Autism is a spectrum disorder and effects every child or adult differently; they have different likes and dislikes, strengths and weaknesses, talents and skills, loves and fears just like you and me.
Let's face it, we are ALL different. And that is where our strengths lie. Celebrate your differences with us!
Last week I sewed a design on an upcycled t-shirt bag - I always try to be kind to the environment and minimise my impact on the environment with my work.
This week my contribution is a poem. The poem has been interpreted in acrylic on canvas by local artist Mohammed Taha (see this article's cover photo).
Here's my poem
Proud to be different
By Sarah Clarke
Tall, short, fat, thin
Which category are you in?
Brown, white, yellow or black
Does it matter which is your pack?
Art, words take your pick
Who cares what makes you tick?
Engineer, academic, regular Jo
So long as you’re happy, off you go!
Maybe your mind has a different will
Or you can’t keep your body still
Perhaps you jump and run about
Does that mean we shut you out?
And what is normal anyway?
We’re all unique at the end of the day
With quirks and preferences galore
To list our ways would be a chore
So stand strong, be your true self
That is the source of abundant wealth
Find the highest summit in the place
Proud to be different, own your space!
Mohammed and I collaborated for Confluence 2020 organised by Bahrain Writers Circle. Unfortunately, their exhibition at Harbour Gate has had to be postponed. Thankfully the organisers gave us permssion to share our work as it relates to autism. We hope you like it! And we look forward to seeing you at the Confluence 2020 exhibtion later in the year.
You can take part in Arty's Art Challenge by liking @baloosbuddies on instagram or facebook. Then show us your creativity by posting a picture of it on instagram, facebook or GDNlife with the hashtags #artys_art_challenge and #baloosbuddies If you're lucky you might win some of Baloo's Buddies art supplies for your family!
#havefun #stayathome and #besafe
Check out Uncle Stan’s article about Arty’s challenge
https://www.gdnlife.com/Home/ArticleDetail?ArticleId=24304&category=6
