August 2, 2006

Corina's Story

Adopted from "The Community Press", a weekly publication for the Quinte and Belleville Regions. 

By Trevor Sinker.

It was difficult for Corina Becker to express herself with words as a child.  "I really liked making up stories but I couldn't write too well, so I would draw a picture," she said. "Art was another medium for the story." Becker, 21, has Asperger's syndrome, a developmental disorder that affects communication and social interaction skills.

I think a lot in pictures and sometimes words aren't enough to express something," said Becker, who is studying English at Sir Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo. She uses acrylics, ink and water colours and says her artwork is an expression of stories. "I don't go for the realistic look; if you want that you can take a picture," she said.

Corina also contributes to two online comic books. One comic book she started several years ago, called Amhelaki Misadventures, is a futuristic fantasy tale about a group of friends working to save the world from humanity's follies. She scans the images she draws with pencil and ink onto a computer to add colour. She also draws for Lord of the Shepherd, a comic book inspired by the Lord of the Rings.

Her art, along with the work created by other people with autism, will be on display at the Quinte Mall in Kingston on Saturday, August 5, from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. as part of the second annual Spectrum Art Show. The show is organized by Kerry's Place Autism Services South East Region.

Corina said the show will build on the success of last year's event. "It was very exciting and I was proud," she said.  She added that the show is a good venue to dispel stereotypes of autism by fielding questions from curious mall patrons. "I was watching them and you could see the gears in their heads," she said referring to last year's show. "The best part was seeing how their thinking was affected by what I was saying and what they were seeing."