Betsy Jenifer, hailing from Vellore, Tamil Nadu, has found it a struggle to communicate and socialize with others. Up until the age of four, no one knew that the little kid had Asperger’s Syndrome. Struggling to communicate her feelings, Betsy turned to art as a form of escape.
“When I couldn’t convey an idea properly through verbal communication, I would turn to my paintbrushes,” said Betsy, who is now a 20-year-old. At the age of 16, she came to know about her condition. That’s when she decided that she will continue her schooling from her home itself.
It was difficult for a teenager to fully understand the dynamics of her syndrome, life did slow down but she made it a point to not let this bind her to one place. Betsy decided to take hold of the reins of her life.
Today, Betsy is a final year student at Women’s Christian College, Chennai (WCC). Along with studying literature, she is also an amazing artist whose not only paintings but written work too have found their way to publications like The New York Times, Elan Literary Magazine, Alexandria Quarterly, and After The Pause.
WCC had given Betsy the platform to bring out her full potential. For her art had become her life. It was a constant companion that had given her the freedom to express herself in so many ways that society could never. She has grown up to be a young woman who proves to us that art can be a perfect way to socialize and communicate with society.
Also Read: Mumbai Artist Talks About The ‘Tabooed’ Female Body Through Her Illustrations
“I have vivid dreams every day and images and patterns cross my mind often. In ‘In my Head’, the picture of a boy whose skull is cut open and a ghost wafting out of his brain was something I saw first thing when I woke up one morning,” said Betsy.
This young painter faced her share of ghosts throughout her childhood. The inability to communicate with kids your age can expose you to ridicule.
Plus, our society doesn’t treat kindly any condition that sets one person apart from the others. Betsy learned to ignore and move on from a very young age. She gets her strength from her roots, traditions, and her creative expression.
She loves to draw cityscapes with colorfully diverse buildings.“I have particularly loved cartoons like “Chowder” and “Foster’s home for imaginary friends” due to their imaginative illustrations of buildings. This definitely kindled my imagination, toward detailed and meticulous drawing,” said the artist who still has a lot to share with the world through her art.
Her determination and passion are evident in her paintings, she proves that being “different” from others is just a matter of perception.
Image Sources: Google Images
Sources: The Better India, Asia Net News, Girls Right The World, +More
Find The Blogger: @Natashaly05
This post is tagged under: Stunning, Betsy Jenifer, Asperger’s Syndrome, Vellore, communicate, socialize, Struggle, Tamil Nadu, Paintings, art, escape, home school, teenager, reins, Women’s Christian College, Chennai, literature, student, artist, potential, companion, passion, ridicule, Chowder, cartoons, traditions, creative, colorfully, cityscapes, buildings, expression, meticulous drawing, The New York Times, Elan Literary Magazine, Alexandria Quarterly, After The Pause, publications, determination, perception
Other Recommendations:
Watch: How Artists Use Colors To Communicate Complex Emotions
