The Story of an Artist Parent and Her Daughter with Autism
Have you ever wondered how an artist manages to juggle a successful career, parenthood, and pursuing a college degree while also using their craft to help their child with special needs? Well, today, with Catriona’s insightful and brilliant story, we will show you that everything is possible if you have a positive mindset and effort.
Success is not a given; it takes effort, perseverance, and a willingness to try and try again. It’s easy to get discouraged when facing obstacles, but it’s those who continue to push forward despite the challenges who truly succeed. In this blog post, we’ll hear an amazing story from an artist who embodies this spirit of determination and resilience, and whose work is a proof of creativity during challenging times.
Meet Catriona, a 30-year-old Southern California girl, who is an talented artist and part of our Jigsaw Puzzle Universe community. Catriona has been creating art since her early years, and she is truly passionate about creating colorful and eye-catching pieces. Her favorite medium to work with is digital watercolor, and her inspiration comes from her childhood idols and her daughter, Mary, who is now two and a half years old.
Growing up, Catriona was always drawn to the creative world, where she found inspiration in the works of the famous filmmaker, Tim Burton. She started with fan art when she was just fifteen and continued to improve her skills. Eventually, she landed a job at Difference Games, creating game art for hidden object, jigsaw puzzle, and Mahjong/Match 3 apps! Through her career, she has always looked to influencers or muses to inspire the next piece. But now, before starting any piece, she asks herself, “Would my daughter smile at this?” and if the answer is yes, then she knows she’s done her job well. What we want to say is that it’s not just her love for art that motivates her but her love for her daughter, Mary, as well. Mary was recently diagnosed with autism and a severe speech delay, which was a tough pill for Catriona to swallow. But she’s been able to balance her career as an artist, parenting her daughter, and her pursuit of a degree in child psychology. When we asked her how she manages everything, she proudly says, “It’s all about managing the time right. When you have a child with special needs, they come first, always. So, I usually dedicate the most important times of the day to my daughter and work around her schedule. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, playtime, bath time, bedtime. They all belong to her. Whatever time I get in between this, is the time I dedicate to my work, my school, and my free time. I can actually get a lot done this way, believe it or not!”
Learning about her daughter’s diagnosis was a significant challenge for Catriona. Sometimes, she had been feeling as if she wasn’t doing enough or that she wasn’t a good mom. She questioned everything she had done during Mary’s infancy and asked herself if she had done something wrong. Eventually, she realized that this is who Mary is, and it has nothing to do with her parenting skills! Once she found the balance between work and parenting, she started having magical moments in her art career.
Catriona firmly believes that art can be used in many different ways and can help children with or without special needs. Her daughter, Mary, is very responsive to music, and Catriona is planning to use this as a way to help her. She has seen other children respond to finger painting, procreate, origami, beading, etc. Art can take many forms, and that’s why she loves it so much. It allows her to be silly and fun, and she doesn’t need to explain herself. To children, that comes naturally, and art can only enhance that. By incorporating her daughter’s interests and needs into her work, she has created a source of joy and comfort that is unique to their relationship.
This story is a powerful reminder of the transformative power of art and its ability to have a positive impact on those around us, inspiring us to seek out creative ways to connect with and support the people we love. Catriona teaches us that a positive mindset and perseverance can help us achieve anything we set our minds to, no matter how challenging it may seem. Her dedication to her daughter’s well-being and her art career is truly inspiring and shows that balancing work and family is possible with the right mindset and time management skills. As parents, it’s easy to feel guilty or question parenting skills when faced with a child’s diagnosis, but Catriona reminds us that you are doing the best you can!
You can find Catriona’s art in our Jigsaw Puzzle Universe game app and see for yourself how she tries to inspire and uplift others, sharing her journey of hope and healing with the world with her beautiful, colorful, inspiring illustrations. Playing puzzles is also a powerful tool that can help children with special needs and create unique bonds between parent and child. You can try solving puzzles yourself with your children through Catriona’s puzzles because she designed them for every age group and every life circumstance! Download our Jigsaw Puzzle Universe game today to experience Catriona’s beautiful art and enjoy hours of fun and relaxation.
