Freedom to Make a Difference

Realist painter Deborah Martin turns to ethereal abstraction to express the emotional experience of autistic children and the people closest to them.

Martin’s intuitive understanding of autism stems from years of working with special-needs children during college and an enduring relationship with a close friend who struggles with this complex spectrum disorder.

The families committed to the project span the country. Through social media, Martin keeps track of each child and his or her support system. “When an image or a story speaks to me, I begin to envision how to represent that family’s experience.”