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"I Want To Be ARTIST": An Autistic Savant's Voice and A Mother's Dream Transformed onto Canvas

by Sarah Sh Lee

A mother’s account of nurturing art, communication, and independence

Regular price $38.69 USD
Regular price $64.49 USD Sale price $38.69 USD
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Paperback New English

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AlbakiReads Editorial

A mother’s account of nurturing art, communication, and independence

Part family memoir, part parenting account, this nonfiction book traces Sarah Sh Lee’s experience raising her son Ping Lian Yeak, from his early autism diagnosis in Malaysia to his life in Australia and development as an artist. Lee places her own persistence at the center of the narrative, describing how special education, motivational ideas, religious faith, and her personal methods shaped her efforts to build his artistic skills, behavior, emotional connection, and everyday participation. The book presents one mother’s highly personal framework for recognizing and training a child’s abilities, alongside her account of confronting isolation, communication barriers, and the practical demands of single parenthood.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Readers interested in parental memoirs about autism
  • Parents exploring personal accounts of supporting a child’s creative abilities
  • Those interested in art and savant talent in a family context

Themes

Autism and family lifeParent advocacyCreative developmentMotherhood and caregivingFaith and determination

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

Ping Lian Yeak was born in Malaysia in 1993 and is now living in Australia. At the age of three, came the seemingly defeating diagnosis of autism. As a toddler Ping Lian was nonverbal, hyperactive with attention deficit disorder, living in "his own world", not showing any affection or awareness of danger and unable to hold a pencil to write or use a scissor to cut.

I Want To Be Artist: An Autistic Savant's Voice and A Mother's Dream Transformed onto Canvas is a non-fictional account of the inspirational journey of a young boy in special education with severe autism, who has been empowered by his single, widowed mother (Sarah Lee) to become a successful artist and a well behaved young man who exhibits empathy and affection. It is the story of a mother's desperate struggle to get her autistic son to "see" her; to "love" his family, to be a contributing member to society, and to live a meaningful life.

Sarah Lee "brainwashed" her autistic son (acknowledged as a prodigious savant by Dr. Darold Treffert), to become an artist by using the knowledge she gained in motivational seminars and her faith in God, paired with her intuitive insights. The book showcases the power of when you dare to dream and how determination can change a situation that appears Impossible, to become Possible.

The portrayal is one mother's triumphant message for developing a skill, training a talent, developing good character and instilling emotion in her autistic son.

How was this achieved? Uncover this parents' journey regarding "how" she trained the talent. "I Want To Be Artist" may change mindsets and expose you to the possibilities of unlocking a skill set that exists within each of us. You will discover the power of your own inner strength as the most important tool for further development in your child as well as in yourself.

 

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