Arborfield artist April Griffin

Putting a paintbrush in April Griffin’s hand when she was a young autistic child was the best thing that could have happened to her.

Griffin, who lives in Arborfield and uses her art to spread awareness about autism, has just won third place in the visual arts category at the International Autistic Achievement Awards 2013.

The artist at a local craft fair.

A profile documentary of the artist was filmed by MaxTV, in which Griffin talks about herself, her challenge as a person with autism, and the way art has influenced her life.

In fact, art has been the driving force that helped Griffin “manage her own life” and become successful in her field. Today she holds exhibits, donates her work for fundraising causes, and helps other autistic people, especially children, to find a way to express themselves through art.

“We use the art to create awareness in a positive way, and also to help young autistics to feel pride,” she explained, “and to focus on talent development instead of what we can’t do.”

In October, the artist produced a solo exhibit at the Nipawin Art Gallery for which she completed 40 “dot art” paintings in under a month. Griffin says she was really pleased with the people’s reaction.

April Griffin: self portrait

“The exhibit good really good reviews, and a lot of people that had never seen the art gallery went to see it,” she said enthusiastically.” And this little boy saw it, and he spent two weeks doing his own dot art to show me.”

Griffin is also known for using her art for fundraisers, both in the community where she lives and internationally within the autism community. Recently she did a “Need for Love” benefit for the village of Love, Saskatchewan, raising $1865 through an art auction with the help of her autistic friends from around the world who contributed their artwork.

“Art gives me a lot of confidence and it’s a way for me to go out into the community, because it is something I am good at, and it’s something people like,” she said.”It’s something I can talk about easily with people, and they feel comfortable asking me questions. It really lets me participate in the community too.”

As a mother of four school-aged children, three of whom are also autistic, Griffin is pretty much obliged to stay close to home for the time being. However, a trip overseas to London is on the planning schedule for this year she says, and then, when her children are through school, she hopes to become more of a gypsy and spend a lot of time travelling – through her art and autism connections.