Spotlight Story— David Atkinson
David at Columbus Autism Network’s event “Trunk or Treat” in 2021.
Meet David— Student, Artist, and more!
David was raised in Columbus, IN and is making a name for himself in his hometown! David is a college student and a very talented artist. He enjoys playing video games (such as Lego Star Wars), reading, and playing with his dog. David is a member of the Self-Advocates of Tomorrow club as well as The Arc of Bartholomew County. He attends many events and meetings with the Self-Advocates of Tomorrow and has become a great asset to the group. David previously worked at Blackerby’s Hanger 5 restaurant at the Columbus Airport. He also enjoys volunteering at the Bartholomew County Humane Society which ended due to Covid, but he hopes to return to volunteering soon when he has free time. Though David has succeeded in many areas of life (which are explained below), he explained that people sometimes misunderstand him as he thinks through things and connects dots differently than others. However, David has not let obstacles or other’s misperceptions hinder his ambition and dreams.
David expressed that his grandparents, Carolyn and Richard, have had an incredible and powerful impact on his life. When asked for examples of how they have impacted his life, David expressed that his grandparents have supported him in more ways than he could begin to explain. They support all of his dreams and continue to do so. David’s grandmother explained that they, along with several of his teachers, taught David to advocate for himself and his needs from a very young age. They taught him to ask questions when he does not understand someone or something that is happening, allowing him to better understand other people and circumstances and make choices that are in his best interest. In doing so, David has become a powerful and strong self-advocate who also helps to advocate for others.
David’s Academic Journey
David attended Columbus North High School and graduated 20th in his class of over 400 students! He credits his class rank and academic achievements to his love of learning and dedication to actually learn and absorb the material. David succeeded in all of his courses and explained that the accommodations he received allowed him to take his time to learn and absorb the information being taught. David finished high school with a 4.0 GPA and is continuing to succeed in his college endeavors.
David is currently a student at Ivy Tech Community College. He recently obtained a Technical Certificate in Visual Communications and is currently pursuing an Associate’s Degree in Applied Science and Visual Communications. When beginning his college journey, David took many courses in each term and became overwhelmed with the workload and demand. He realized that having a more demanding course-load hindered his ability to focus and decided that taking one course at a time would allow him to fully comprehend and successfully retain all of the information being taught. David’s decision to do what is best for him has allowed him to succeed beyond measure and has set him up for great success in his academic pursuits.
When asked what advice David has for other self-advocates who would like to pursue higher education, David emphasized the importance of asking questions and forming relationships. He has learned that asking questions is vital to succeeding and understanding course materials. He also believes that developing a relationship and connection with his class instructors has helped him to succeed in his studies and advises others to do the same.
David’s Artistic Pursuit and Accomplishments
When David was in high school, he realized his passion for graphic design and photography. He initially wanted to become a Video Game Designer and saw that graphic design courses were part of the prerequisite requirements. However, during his sophomore year of high school, David realized his passion lied in graphic design itself. He began honing his skills in high school and has become an incredibly skillful and creative artist throughout his collegiate studies.
When asked how art has made a positive impact on his life, David explained, “Art has made a positive difference in my life by making me more confident in my abilities. I know that each of us has strengths and weaknesses, and finding art was a strength for me has given me the confidence to know I can succeed.” While David learns a lot about different techniques and procedures in his courses, he also teaches himself a lot about the programs he uses through YouTube videos and other resources and is able to self-teach, allowing him to grow even more in his abilities and create complex, beautiful artwork. David’s grandmother, Carolyn, expressed that she and David’s grandfather did not know how creative he was until he began learning more about graphic design. She is so impressed with his artistic talent and his ability to learn new things about Adobe programs such as Illustrator and Photoshop.
One of David’s creations (shown below) will soon be painted at a local handball court in Tipton Lakes! His artwork was selected by Columbus Parks and Recreation to be displayed at the park. When asked why this piece is one of his favorites, David explained, “It was the first piece I created that gained recognition beyond the classroom. It gave me the confidence that I could do creative work!” Though David does not know when exactly it will be completed and ready to visit, he is very excited for his art to be seen and appreciated by his community.
The mural selected by Columbus Parks and Recreation that will soon be displayed at a local park.
David hopes to pursue a future career in graphic design work. He plans to continue his education in Graphic Design studies and would like to work locally on graphic design projects.
David’s Artwork:
This project of David’s, a surrealism piece called Moving Toward Hope, features his grandparents, who he speaks very highly of, in the center.
David’s thoughts on Moving Toward Hope: “I was able to take six of my original photos and composite them into a message of moving out of a dark place toward hope. The faces in the vine are images of myself. I had never placed images within vines or another surface, and it was something I thought very interesting. I watched a YouTube tutorial to learn the technique. I enjoy using tutorials to learn techniques that are not taught in the classroom.”
The images above are an example of David’s photo restoration skills on an old photo of a family member. The image on the left is before David’s restoration edit, and the image on the right is the complete restoration.
David’s graphic piece, Waves Reflected. This piece of art was printed and submitted as an entry for the 2022 Always Ready for Chocolate Art Show/Sale and was one of the first pieces to sell at the fundraiser!
David at the 2021 Self-Advocates of Tomorrow Christmas Party, looking at the white elephant gift he chose.