SAN RAFAEL, California. — In a studio workspace, Chloe Pollock steps back from her latest piece and examines the geometric patterns she has created. “Oh yeah, those are the ones I made,” she says. Her instructor, Evri Kwong, asks her to review the work, asking whether thicker or thinner lines could improve the design. “It looks great,” says Chloe.
This back and forth is typical of Autistry, a program in its 18th year working with teens and adults on the autism spectrum and with people facing other challenges. “This is where we make things. That’s what we’re known for, and that’s really the foundation of our program,” said Janet Lawson, who co-founded the organization with her husband.
The program started out of necessity. When their son graduated high school, the Lawsons discovered there were no services available for him. They decided to create something themselves, converting a shed behind their house into a studio and starting with four students. The focus was practical: helping people create projects, build things, use their hands and master tools.
The model worked. In eighteen years, the program has grown from the first four students to more than forty. Students work on projects of their own choosing or group efforts, learning skills along the way.
For Chloe, that meant focusing on geometric art. “I really like the geometric art because it’s my favorite,” she explains. Over the past year she has been working on designing her own charts at any size, expanding her own capabilities.
Janet sees this type of growth as crucial to what sets autism apart from other programs. “People who generally create programs for people with problems tend to have a primary goal of keeping them safe, which is a valid and very admirable goal, but it doesn’t help them grow,” she says. Safety does not challenge people to develop new skills or explore new ideas.
“By creating, we also create relationships with our students and help them create an identity for themselves that is based on being productive and a productive member of their community,” Janet explains. The aim is to develop both social and practical skills, allowing participants to become who they want to be.
In the studio, Chloe continues her work under Evri’s guidance, with each line she draws representing progress towards greater independence and capabilities. After 18 years, Autistry has proven that growth is just as important as safety, and that making things can mean building a life.
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