"I Want To Be ARTIST"

Ping Lian Yeak was born in Malaysia in 1993 and is now living in Australia. At the age of three, came the seemingly defeating diagnosis of autism. As a toddler Ping Lian was nonverbal, hyperactive with attention deficit disorder, living in “his own world”, not showing any affection or awareness of danger and unable to hold a pencil to write or use a scissor to cut.

I Want To Be Artist: An Autistic Savant’s Voice and A Mother’s Dream Transformed onto Canvas is a non-fictional account of the inspirational journey of a young boy in special education with severe  autism,  who has been empowered by his single, widowed mother (Sarah Lee) to become a successful artist and a well behaved young man who exhibits empathy and affection. It is the story of a mother’s desperate struggle to get her autistic son to “see” her; to “love” his family, to be a contributing member to society, and to live a meaningful life.

Sarah Lee "brainwashed" her autistic son (acknowledged as a prodigious savant by Dr. Darold Treffert), to become an artist by using the knowledge she gained in motivational seminars and her faith in God, paired with her intuitive insights. The book showcases the power of when you dare to dream and how determination can change a situation that appears Impossible, to become Possible. 

The portrayal is one mother’s triumphant message for developing a skill, training a talent, developing good character and instilling emotion in her autistic son. 

How was this achieved? Uncover this parents’ journey regarding “how” she trained the talent. “I Want To Be Artist” may change mindsets and expose you to the possibilities of unlocking a skill set that exists within each of us. You will discover the power of your own inner strength as the most important tool for further development in your child as well as in yourself.

 

Sarah SH Lee "While putting her own career and social life on hold, Sarah Lee managed to create a special talent and a meaningful life for her severely autistic son." Sarah Lee possesses a Bachelor's degree in Economics. She majored in Business Administration at the University of Malaya, Malaysia. She was a Senior Sales and Marketing Manager in a business software solutions and a telecommunications company. Sarah Lee was extremely successful in attaining numerous high profile corporate clients, bringing the company of one of her employers, from loss to profit in a short period. In a very competitive corporate environment, Sarah Lee's intuitive drive consistently generated the highest level of individual sales whilst recruiting, nurturing and developing the sales team. At the age of 42, Sarah Lee became a widow leaving her to single handedly raise three dependent children; the youngest (Ping Lian Yeak) 10 with severe autism. Only two years later, in 2006, Sarah Lee left her illustrious career behind and uprooted her family from Malaysia to Sydney, Australia. Without a single relative or friend in Sydney, she set off to start their new lives, with an extreme focus to create a meaningful life for her son. Refusing to accept that Ping Lian living in his own world had "no affect"; "no emotion" and would "look right through" her; this brave lady's determination and practice to develop, maintain and live with a positive mental attitude and a happy personality has resulted in this remarkable book of Ping Lian's journey. His success not only as an artist, but as a young man full of emotions who interacts meaningfully with his family is a miraculous testament to his mother's will. "He has matured into an obedient, hard-working and grateful boy," reflects Lee. "He is my good helper at home and when we go shopping." As a business woman; but first and foremost, as a Mother, Sarah Lee's commitment to "feeding the mind and soul" is unceasing. She has a never-ending drive to improve and expand upon her positive outlook; constantly reading and attending seminars. In 2012, she received the "Parent's Certificate of Recognition" from Temple Grandin, for her pioneering efforts in Training The Talent and nurturing the artistic abilities and interests of her son Ping Lian Yeak. Her achievements, chronicled in Ping Lian's uniquely touching story have been noted and acclaimed in various documentaries, text books and news articles throughout this journey. 2005 - Korean Broadcasting System: Savant Syndrome documentary alongside Kim Peek (real Rain Man) and Kodi Lee. 2005 - TV8 Malaysia: Eve's Diary 2006 - United Kingdom Focus Productions Painting the Mind aired on Channel 4, Four Corners, ABC TV Australia, Scandinavia 2008 - EBS Korea: Uncovering the Secret of Childhood 2009 - CNA International and CNA Singapore: Asia's Wonder Kids 2011 - "'Real Reading 3": - English textbook published by PEARSON Longman; Chapter 24- Through the Eye of Love. 2011 - "Adventures in Autism" by the master of motivation, Peter A. LaPorta (USA). 2012 - Positively Remarkable Women - 50 Portraits - by Diane Macdonald 2014 - The Sydney Morning Herald: Ping Lian Yeak: the autistic savant who is a prodigious artist 2016 - "The Prodigy's Cousin: The Family Link Between Autism and Extraordinary Talent" - Joanne Ruthsatz and Kimberly Stephens

Dr. Rosa C. Martinez Dr. Martinez has a B.S. in Special Education from CCNY, a Masters degree in Adolescent Autism, a Masters of Philosophy, and a Doctorate in Behavioral Disorders from Columbia University. She is also a Board Certified Behavior Analyst currently working for the NYS Department of Education. Dr. Martinez is the President and Founder of Strokes of Genius, Inc. After meeting Ping Lian Yeak in 2006, Dr. Rosa C. Martinez created her vision for Strokes of Genius, Inc. She soon became a collaborator with Sarah SH Lee and began promoting Ping Lian Yeak's artworks here in the United States. She organizes art exhibitions throughout the United States and internationally featuring the artworks of savants and individuals on the autism spectrum. She has curated art shows at the The United Nations, Carnegie Hall, Cooper Union, The Michael Schimmel Arts Center and the prestigious Salmagundi Historical Art Club. Dr. Martinez has taught Education courses at Hunter College, the College of Staten Island, Long Island University, Touro College and the University of Maryland and also teaches literacy and communication skills to behaviorally challenged adolescents with autism and other developmental disabilities. She was instrumental in establishing various ABA programs for young children with PDD and Autism in New York City and has been working with individuals on the autism spectrum ranging from infants to adult populations for more than 30 years. Publications include: Hosseini, D. & Martinez, R.C. (2011) The Art of Autism: Shattering 7 Myths about autism through the voices and art of those on the spectrum Treffert, D. (2011) Islands of Genius: The Bountiful Mind of the Autistic, Acquired and Sudden Savant (Martinez, R.C. - Ch. 26 - Training the Talent in Art: An Educators Approach ) Greenberg, J. & Martinez, R.C. (2008). Starting Off on the Right Foot: One Year of Behavior Analysis in Practice and Relative Cost International Journal of Behavioral Consultation and Therapy, Vol.4 Martinez, R.C. (2014) Video presentation: Training The Talent in Individuals With Autism . A video presentation featuring Temple Grandin. Pace University, 2014