Liam John Alex: The Art of an Autistic Child
- At April 25, 2015
- By Aviva Gittle
- In About Children, Articles, Artist, Feature
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Meet Liam John Alex
[Updated 12/19/16] Understandably, 11-year-old Liam’s mom, Lynn Alex, will first use the adjective “autistic” to describe him. There is no doubt that this is the first thing you do need to understand about Liam. But, when Lynn posted one of Liam’s drawings on Facebook, I saw another prominent feature of his personality: Artist.
As a children’s picture book author, I review the portfolios of many artists. Let’s face it; art is subjective. But, I think I have a pretty good eye for talent. I asked Lynn to provide more pictures of Liam’s drawings so that I could share them with you. Let’s see if you see what I see. 🙂
This is Liam’s most recent work:

Christmas Card Contest, 2016

Cubist Evergreen Tree, 2016

“Snowman” by Liam John Alex. Note the shading and shadow. The beautiful green, splash of color from the birds, and the falling snow.

“Ornaments” by Liam John Alex. He draws the filament inside the bulbs and the glow on the outside. I’m in awe that a 10-year-old thinks to capture the details of the lights.

“Bird” by Liam John Alex. I love the contrasting earth tones in the leaves with the colorful feathers. It’s a detail I think most kids (and adults) would skip.
John Liam Alex is an 11-year-old autistic child. He continues to show his talent as an artist. Among his favorite things to read is the National Geographic Animal Encyclopedia. (What he’s reading in the picture below, left.) Liam lives with his mother, Lynn, and his father, Scott, in Hammonton, NJ.