A Dexter mother found an unexpected way to connect with her nonverbal autistic son — through art.
Crissy Stratford, an artist showcasing her work at the Kensington Metropark Art Fair, said art has taken on a meaning far deeper than creative expression in her life.
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"Art means to me, oh my goodness, art means communication," Stratford said.
That communication traces back to her son, Chad, who is 27 years old and largely nonverbal. He was diagnosed with autism at age 3.
"I didn't know what to do with that. So I just resorted to what I know best, which is drawing," Stratford said.
Stratford began drawing books filled with images she knew would capture Chad's interest. The approach worked.
"I drew Chad's book and I drew things I knew that he would be interested in. And he loved these because they were areas of high interest. So he would be able to look at them and read them," Stratford said.
She then gave Chad blank books of his own. What came back surprised her.
"He was able to tell me without words what was on his brain. And here he is, here we are in the living room. Here he is playing with his little toy when he was little. It's not that he would be able to communicate with me without using his words, which is really cool," Stratford said.
The discovery caught her completely off guard.
"Oh, yeah. Oh, it most certainly did, yes," Stratford said.
Chad's drawings reveal a rich inner world — scenes from family life, favorite places, and cherished memories. Among them are illustrations of the Country Bear Jamboree at Disney World, a place he loves.
"Just like things that he loves. Like he couldn't tell me, I love writing this right, but he could actually write, this is Christmas. I love presents. He couldn't say that, but he can draw," Stratford said.
Through his artwork, Stratford said she has been able to experience a side of her son she never knew existed. Looking at his drawings still moves her.
"Always. Yeah. Oh, totally. Yeah, I love looking at his work," Stratford said.
Stratford encourages other families navigating similar challenges to lean into visual communication.
"I recommend making everything more visual for your student or for your child. Visual is so important for people who have disabilities or who have autism," Stratford said.
Stratford was among more than 130 artists participating in the 10th edition of the Kensington Metropark Art Fair. The Fair wraps up Monday, May 25th. To learn more about the fair head to: http://kensingtonartfair.com/
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