A Steady Gig

Liam singing with P.A.N.D.A.  He's on the far right, singing on the song he wrote.

Like many parents of kids on the spectrum, we wonder what Liam might do for work, or if he will be able to hold down something resembling a job, or contract work. He has crazy skills, but planning and executing a project, especially one that someone else initiated, is still out of reach for him.  Lately though, he's been taking small steps out into the world and sharing his talents.

I began to receive email notifications, asking me to take the final step to upload my video to YouTube.  Since I haven't created YouTube content in ages, I realized Liam had figured out how to upload his Adobe After Effects projects, using different effects on his favorite television bumpers.  So far, he's uploaded over 70 videos. He even has some subscribers (who aren't spammers).

The most collaborative thing he's been doing, is playing in the band that formed over the summer (see the post entitled "Tribes."  They all worked hard and ended up sounding good enough to be asked to join their teacher on actual gigs around town.  So far, P.A.N.D.A. has three covers and five original tunes and Liam wrote one of them. They're planning a recording session in January, to lay down all of their originals and will be playing a show on New Year's Eve. Not bad for a band ranging in age from ten to thirteen years old. 

He's continuing to grow his talents as an artist, beyond his favorite digital mediums. Right now, he's working in acrylics and loves using the paint itself to create texture.  He just went to a birthday party at an art space that teaches graffiti art and stop motion animation.  When we left the party, he said, "I really like that place." After I finish this post, I'll be signing him up for the winter session. Some day, one of these things may turn into a steady gig for him.  For now, I'm happy to encourage the exploration.

With schools all over the country dropping art programs for lack of funding, I love that Liam's passions turn the traditional model on its head.  What happens when your academics serve your art? And can your art, in turn, power your future?  We're going to find out.

Liam giving himself a stencil tattoo at Art Rebel in Sherman Oaks

Liam's latest acrylic painting from Pastimes for a Lifetime in Van Nuys