Exploration of Life as Neurodivergent Creative

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

I have not written for some time. I achieved my MA in Photography and was considering a Practiced – Based PhD.

Sometimes I see where I want to head briefly then I am overcome with the demands this makes. Multi-tasking is okay sometimes but not for something so long-term.

Higher Education gave me a double-edged sword to play with and I got cut on many occasions with it. The stress of the new has gone and therefore my cortisol levels may return back to it’s usual high stress levels rather than episodes of absolute overwhelmedness. I became autistically burnt out. I nearly falling on my sword than to carry it. Was it worth it? I’ve achieved it but now what? Maybe focusing on my creative imagery becomes focus. Sounds good but like most artists, I face a blank sketchbook page, without context. Instead I try to declutter as I believe everything will become clear when there are surfaces…. Now I face mounds of things on ALL surfaces, in carrier bags and overwhelmed. ADHD meet Autism. Maybe that’s where I’m headed…

• 
• 
• 

When researching neurodiversity and art, the subject of access to funding came up for me. The application for funding documents a process that is often very challenging for the neurodiverse creative. Laura Dobbs, in her blog https://rachel.we-are-low-profile.com/blog/ July 2016) talks about how she has often helped neurodiverse artists navigate the funding portal Grantium for the Arts Council England.

Dobbs (2016) has observed that neurodiverse individuals look for “a desire, need and ability to see things clearly on macro and micro scales (sometimes simultaneously, as in the case of diagrams / maps / charts)”. Therefore, how can a process that requires concise compartmentalised information for funding be easily accessed?

Actually, how does a neurodiverse creative therefore access ANYTHING easily in the art world?