He’s just 14 and making waves brushed with inspiration in the art world – especially for other young Autistic artists. With a design business centred around pop culture figures and hype art under his belt, at an age when most teenagers are still testing the waters of possible careers, Clayden has shown that Autism is not a prison sentence. This is the story of Clayden Botes from Kalk Bay and his incredible artistic adventure.
As an art lover myself, the first thing I’m always curious about when it comes to any artist is what inspires them (especially when their designs are so vivid and bursting with life) so this was the first question I posed to Clayden’s mother Antoinette, writes Cape {town} Etc’s Ashleigh Nefdt.
“Clayden used to watch Youtube videos of his favourite artists to get inspiration when he was younger, but nowadays he will just sit down & draw whatever comes to mind – he takes inspiration from nature & loves working on new characters & worlds,” Antoinette tells me.
“Clayden has always been creative- it started off as a very young child building worlds with lego and then he started painting and building with clay. When he got his first drawing tablet, a whole new world opened up for him,” she adds.
It’s these inspirations that are the building blocks of Cladyensdesigns, the home of Clayden’s imaginings. Claydensdesigns was born out of what some might see as a ‘back against the wall situation’ and what Clayden and his mother saw as a necessary opportunity.
Antoinette had lost her job, and schools were closed due to COVID-19. She decided to take her son out of school for two reasons – the first pertaining to his Autism where “structure is crucial, and the uncertainty of what’s going on at school played a big part in his emotional wellbeing.”
The second reason for him being taken out was because he struggled in school. “He just could not get the reading & writing under his belt and because of that he was teased a lot,” says Antoinette.
A means to distance himself saw Clayden drawing. “When I took Clayden out of school, the stress of being bullied & the pressure from teachers were not there anymore & Clayden just blossomed!” his mother explains.
However, despite Clayden’s newfound artistic freedom, financial freedom was an entirely separate matter.
“We got to a point where I had to make a plan to make money and the idea of printing on shirts came up, so ClaydensDesigns was born. 18 months ago out of desperation to make some money to feed us….it very quickly escalated into printing of canvasses, bedding & now shorts, leggings, towels & cargo pants,” Antoinette tells.
Clayden’s art utilises a spectrum of mediums, from Acrylic to clay, but mostly he’s doing digital designs – a fast-growing market in the art world.
However, as talented as he may be, his extra superpower comes from the fact that he’s achieved all he has whilst having Autism – something that can certainly inspire other young artists and people who share what is usually perceived by society as a ‘setback’. I asked Clayden what advice he would give to other creatives like him.
“He will always tell people- don’t let people judge you or put labels on you- do what makes you happy, work hard, believe in yourself & never give up on your dreams…stay humble, focused and persevere,” says Antoinette.
Of what Antoinette would appreciate other parents with Autistic children to know, Antoinette says:
“What I would say to other parents with Autistic children is to stop reading and believing everything you see on the internet – don’t listen to advice from parents, not in your shoes, TRUST your instincts and forget about what your child can not do & concentrate on what he can do. Society is so easy to label our kids, to put them in boxes…Autism is not a disability in my eyes. It’s a different ability, it’s not a sentence it’s merely a diagnosis.”
April is Autism Awareness/Acceptance Month, and sharing stories like Claydens serves as a way for society to appreciate Autistic people for their incredible talents void of the stigmatism.
You can keep up with and make purchases from Claydensdesigns here!
Picture: Claydensdesigns
