Joe's Eye View

My son is eleven years old, and the most joyful person you could ever wish to meet. Joe has Fragile X Syndrome and Autism, and is a totally fascinating and unique young man.

As Joe has very poor fine motor skills, he is unable to write or draw very well, and I have often found myself wondering if he were more dexterous and able to paint, how would he depict the world.

Recently on a visit to Durham I found myself preoccupied with the days shopping list, and believed Joe, walking by my side, would be thinking of little more than when, and where we would be eating lunch.

Suddenly Joe stopped and looked towards the boathouse.

This is a view we have seen so many times and in fact I did paint it about two years ago.

Sometimes over familiarity blinds us, but perhaps this is not the case for my son.

After watching the scene below him he just said,

"Take a picture."

Of course I did ,and proceeded to paint from these images on our return home.

I'm so glad I did because there is such life, colour and beauty captured in that instant.

If Joe could paint perhaps these are the things he would portray.