At the Victorian Autism Conference last month, Prue Stevenson was awarded an Emerging Leader Award as part of the Amaze Community Awards for 2016.
Prue, a prolific artist, has a long-term relationship with annecto, as a Project Officer for the annecto Yarraville’s Learning Hub arts program, a member of the Quality Systems Team, an annecto client and an annecto volunteer. Prue was also awarded the annecto Ron Cahill award in 2012. The Ron Cahill award rewards people who want to further develop their personal skills, knowledge and services in areas of specific needs for people with disability.
Art has always played a big part in Prue’s life, with it being a central force behind her learning to reconcile living on the autism spectrum, managing every day challenges and attaining her goals.
From a difficult progression through school as a young person, Prue has attained a Diploma of Fine Arts and Visual Arts and Latrobe College of Art and Design and a Bachelor of Arts (Fine Arts) from RMIT where she was awarded Distinction level.
Prue uses the behaviours and excess energy connected with her autism and often results in panic attacks or stimming, and channels it into her art. As a way to mask her stimming in public, Prue knits. She is often surrounded by a large coil of knitted wool and has exhibited the yield of her knitting as a sculpture entitled ‘Transmuting’, in her exhibitions.
Her art is a visual representation of her lived experience with Autism. Prue is also a 3rd Dan Black Belt in Taekwondo and competes at a National Level. She is an advocate for others living with autism, and a singer in her own band ‘Ice Cream in a Mug’.
Her latest project brings together annecto David House Learning Hub and other collaborative team members to stage a Flash Mob event for World Autism Day in April 2017. The Flash Mob idea is Prue’s way of spreading the message and understanding of stimming in the ‘biggest’ way possible. Stimming is a repetitive motion, often used by a person with autism, such as hand- flapping, rocking, spinning, or repetition of words and phrases.The project is likely to see hundreds of people stimming in Federation Square, to raise awareness and understanding of autism and the behaviours (like stimming) that go with it.
Congratulations to Prue for winning the Emerging Leader Award at the Amaze Community Awards for 2016.
Read more about Prue Stevenson and her art.
