"I Want To Be ARTIST"

Ping Lian Yeak was born in Malaysia in 1993 and is now living in Australia. At the age of three, came the seemingly defeating diagnosis of autism. As a toddler Ping Lian was nonverbal, hyperactive with attention deficit disorder, living in "his own world", not showing any affection or awareness of danger and unable to hold a pencil to write or use a scissor to cut. I Want To Be Artist: An Autistic Savant's Voice and A Mother's Dream Transformed onto Canvas is a non-fictional account of the inspirational journey of a young boy with severe autism, who has been empowered by his single, widowed mother to become a successful artist and a well behaved young man who exhibits empathy and affection. The journey is about helplessness, fear, death, desperation, courage, love, God and the faith of a family, all culminating in triumph. It is the story of a mother's desperate struggle to get her autistic son to "see" her; to "love" his family, to be a contributing member to society, and to live a meaningful life. There are many books on individuals with autism. This story however, is presented from a very different perspective and is not solely intended to be of interest to families, parents, teachers and professionals in the autism community, but also for the general public and art enthusiasts. This is a compelling story of faith and triumph, full of insightful advice that may transport any reader from a state of hopelessness to one of positive outcomes. Readers will be fortunate to capture not just the turmoil but also life lessons of the inspirational path to ability. It showcases the power of dreams and how determination can change a situation that appears Impossible, to become Possible. This book also describes how Sarah Lee taught herself to "survive" and maintain her inner strength, to have faith and to continue living with a positive attitude while facing the daily challenges of autism raising her 10 year old autistic son, her 12 and 16 year old daughters and caring for her 79 year old mother in law when her husband passed away due to a sudden heart attack. The portrayal is one mother's triumphant message for developing a skill, training a talent, developing good character and instilling emotion in her autistic son. The reader is steered toward life coaching and self-help skills. Despite Ping Lian's severve autism, he was taught to love others, to have a sense of community, to love to paint, and to have pride! These qualities are not mechanical responses to any specific antecedents, but rather they are genuine "emotions" that are obvious in his everyday actions. How was this achieved? Uncover this parents' journey regarding "how" she trained the talent. Sarah Lee successfully "brainwashed" her son to succeed in her dream for him. "Brainwashed" is the term used by Sarah Lee light-heartedly, yet compellingly. The book describes her beliefs, her isolation and her endless pursuit resulting in "....an Artist and a good helper at home". Included for every single artwork of this prolific youngster, there is an amazing story. Autism carries different meanings in different societies. However the notion of enabling and training a talent coupled with instilling love and pride in one's societal contribution are not common bullet points you may come across in any cultures definition or methodology when "treating" autism. "I Want To Be Artist" may change mindsets and expose you to the possibilities of unlocking a skill set that exists within eac