Carly Hatton - Follow Your Dreams
About Carly
Carly was born on September 2, 1992. At age four, Carly was diagnosed "high functioning autistic".
Carly began school at Tytler in Guelph, Ontario, Canada with a wonderful educational assistant with her. However, Carly was in her own world, unable to tell us of her feelings and her frustrations, and so she began to draw.
People far and wide have been amused and fascinated by her drawings, as they tell us of how she sees the world. Her world is full of animals, families and most importantly, love.
In addition to her drawings, Carly also enjoys making small sculptures and she spends some of her free time spinning and climbing trees.
Carly's Awards and Achievements
Her paintings and drawings were first taken to a craft show in November 2001, where 47 pieces were sold. In the years to follow, Carly received numerous recognitions for her academic efforts and artistic talents, which include:
- Awarded 1st place standing at the prestigious Rideau Valley Art Festival for her cartoon of "Bumble Bee Dress" in 2002
- Won 3rd place standing at the 2001 Rideau Valley Art Festival with her drawing of "Happy Horse". A prominent Ottawa photographer declared to the event organizers that "Carly is the talent in the building."
- Carly is the first child to be juried and accepted as a guest artist on the Thousand Islands Parkway Tour.
- Winner of the "Most Improved and Most Courageous Student" awards at her school's commencement in her 3rd year of study.
- Carly's work was displayed at the Ministry of Education Conference in September 2003, and her work was published in the Ontario Autism Newsletter in the fall of 2003. Her work is also being used in Genetic Research publications through Queen's University.
- Carly is one of 44 artists with autism, in the U.S.A., Canada and around the world, featured in a new book "Artism - Art by those with autism" published by Booksurge. She is in good company as same book also features the very well-known Donna Williams, who has written Nobody Nowhere, Somebody Somewhere and Like Color to the Blind.