Finding connection through art: Interview with Tim Sharp.
Art has a wonderful way of connecting us with others, often without needing any words at all. Tim Sharp, the autistic artist behind Laser Beak Man, is a perfect example of how creativity can become a pathway to communication and self-expression. Growing up non-verbal, Tim was introduced to drawing as a way to communicate. But once he started sketching, the floodgates opened. He went from zero words to a hundred, forging a bright, bold world on paper. Initially however, he resisted picking up a pencil. “I didn’t like getting anything on my hands,” he admits with a laugh. Drawing out possibility. As a child, he loved superheroes like Batman, Spider Man, and Iron Man and it was this fascination with superheroes that drove him to dream up his own. “I met Laser Beak Man when I was 11 years old,” Tim explains. His mum Judy recalls that, “Tim was very literal in the beginning,” sometimes taking phrases and turning them into quirky, eye-catching drawings. She’s quick to add that Tim’s sense of humour and love of bright colours reflect more than autism alone, they show off his personal flair and the part of him that loves making others smile. The
