AUTISTIC STUDENT SHOWCASES TALENT, CREATIVITY THROUGH ACRYLIC PAINTINGS

PENDANG, Feb 4 (Bernama) -- Fifteen-year-old autistic student Ainul Syeefa Zamrol has proven that autism is not an obstacle to showcasing one's talent and creativity, with her acrylic paintings starting to garner attention from various quarters.

The Sekolah Model Khas Bukit Jenun (SMoKBJ) Special Education Integrated Programme (PPKI) student has shown interest and talent in the field of visual arts since the age of seven, using it as a medium to express her imagination and emotions.

Her mother, Suraya Abdul Rahman, 54, said the youngest of four siblings loves drawing various subjects, including cartoon princess characters, flowers, wildlife, butterflies, as well as elements of art and culture.

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Suraya, who teaches Mathematics at the school, said Ainul Syeefa would normally draw at night, drawing inspiration from the images formed from her reading materials and the shows she watched.

"If she reads the story of 'Puteri Lindungan Bulan’ (Princess Protected by the Moon), she would produce a painting of the princess as a cartoon character. When she is drawing, she cannot be disturbed and must be approached gently.  

"Every drawing takes up to between two weeks and two months to be completed, depending on the canvas size,” she said.

She described the paintings, which are full of colour and shapes, as not only boosting Ainul Syeefa's confidence, but also functioning as an emotional therapy.

According to Suraya, her daughter also gleans ideas for her acrylic paintings from historical and general reading materials, as well as YouTube clips, adding that her talent became apparent after a visit to an art gallery in Alor Setar at the age of seven.

"Since she was 12, she has actively participated in various art programmes and exhibitions for autistic students at the national and international levels.

"We, the family, have sacrificed so much in terms of time, energy and finance to make sure her special talent does not go to waste,” she said.

Suraya said that, thus far, Ainul Syeefa has produced about 300 paintings, including her latest work titled 'Puteri Lindungan Bulan’, with plans to produce a painting of Dang Anum eating a jackfruit (based on the legend of Dang Anum's execution for eating a single, forbidden jackfruit).

Ainul Syeefa's talent and potential have not gone unnoticed, with a bank keen to immortalise her artwork in the form of corporate calendars and postcards, in addition to being open to selling them to art lovers.

Meanwhile, SMoKBJ principal Jamkhuriyati Hussain said the school plans to set up an Ainul Syeefa Gallery to house hundreds of her artworks as a symbol of its support and appreciation.

She said the gallery will be a symbol of the journey of a talented autistic student and a source of inspiration for other students.

"Insya-Allah, the gallery will become a reality by March, and a vacant building block will be decorated with murals based on Ainul Syeefa's artworks,” she said.

-- BERNAMA