Woman turns to art to express autism diagnosis

Emilie Knight hopes her work will help others with autism

A Jersey artist who was given a late autism diagnosis has opened an exhibition of her work to show what she has been through.

Emilie Knight had to be signed off from work in November because she was burnt out.

She was given a late autism diagnosis and turned to art to demonstrate her feelings.

The exhibition at JARO gallery is open until 21 June.

Ms Knight gave a speech at a private viewing of the exhibition about how art helps with her autism

Ms Knight, who has been selling her artworks since 2016, made the exhibition using only her hands and feet.

She said making the art had helped "process my diagnosis" and "understand how my brain works".

The artist said she appeared calm on the surface but confused underneath following her diagnosis.

"It is a representation of the masking we do as autistic women so the paintings look beautiful, but underneath is chaos and turmoil while we search for tranquillity and calm," she said.

She hopes this work will benefit autistic people by making the exhibition "a platform to help others" and to "clear up some misconceptions" about the condition.

Jasmine Noel from JARO said the exhibition was the first of its kind for the gallery

This is the first time an exhibition of this kind has been held at JARO gallery.

Owner Jasmine Noel said she was drawn to Ms Knight's story and her work.

She said people had been getting a sense of "tranquillity" from the art.

"I had a lady come in with her autistic daughter and said the paintings showed what her daughter was feeling," she said.

Ms Knight's artwork shows how a calm exterior can mask chaos underneath