Help 4 Aspergers

I took up photography when I was 18 and after I finished school, I moved to Cambridge, England and completed a degree in Photo and Digital Media. After 5 years in Cambridge, I moved to Berlin in 2003. I worked in several different jobs, started another Degree in English and Philosophy at the Humboldt University, Berlin and became a mother of two incredible boys who turned my life upside down.

Being a parent is the hardest, scariest, but also the most amazing thing that happened to me. The first few years, I tried to do everything perfect and I didn’t have much time to enjoy the good moments, because I spent so much time feeling guilty, worried and exhausted. My daydream space was taken over by dark worry spirals and I wanted to come out of my head and connect to the world again. The camera was always the medium for me to connect my inner world to the outside, it makes me feel safe.

My younger son was born with a physical disability called “Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenitas”, his older brother was diagnosed as autistic when he was 6 (he’s is 10 now). Before his diagnosis, I never thought much about autism. I had the same clichéd ideas about it as most people and though things like “He can’t be autistic, because he yes friends…”. It took me a few months to accept the diagnosis, another few months and a lot of reading and research to be happy about it, and it wasn’t until I read Aspergirls and some others book and blogs about women on the spectrum that everything started falling into place and making sense again.

During the whole process, I used my camera a lot to capture my feelings and connect. I watched my boys growing up with my camera – because watching my children often throws my right back into my own childhood memories.

My project: “Interaction Patterns – Atypical Childhood”, is an ongoing reflection on childhood and my role as a parent, how we interact, and how the way we see ourselves shifts.

Charlotte has an exhibition currently at Welzhaus, Klinikstraße 6, 97070 Würzburg, Germany. She spoke about the project there on September 27. Welzhaus is part of the University in Würzburg. They have changing exhibitions going over 6 months so her work will be there for some time.

Website: www.charlottebroecker.de

Facebook: Charlie Brocker Photography

Instagram: @charliebrocker

As long as I can remember I have always been immersed in art in some way. As a teenager I started drawing and writing and have spent time throughout my life experimenting and enjoying many artistic forms of expression such as photography, knitting and crochet, and most recently painting. I am a self-taught artist and started to really explore painting at the end of 2017. This was a challenging time as I had been diagnosed with Aspergers in June 2017 at the age of 43 and this diagnosis completely turned my world around. Although I had answers to some of my unusual behaviours and quirky likes and dislikes, I found myself completely lost and unsure of who I was anymore. Alongside my Autism diagnosis I have experienced bouts of severe anxiety and I find art an essential component of my recovery. During an episode of Autistic Burnout when I find I struggle to eat, sleep or even speak, art is always there as a way to focus and calm down somewhat when it feels like my brain is trying to spiral and spin outside of my body.

I use watercolour as my preferred medium. I mostly use Winsor and Newton watercolours and Liquitex paint pens on 100% cotton cold press paper by Fabriano. I love the way watercolour has a life of its own and I find that the lines and flow of the paint give my spiralling brain something to hold on to. I am also a mother, midwife and midwifery lecturer so my art often incorporates anatomy, pregnancy and early motherhood. I hope to have a gallery display in the future, however for now I enjoy selling my art to those who it resonates with.

Insta: @miss_fairypants
FB: Holly Priddis Photography and Art