12-23-2005, 01:44 PM
Thinking outside the box Maxfield creates artwork that inspires, educates
By Jennifer Mann/ Staff Writer
Thursday, December 22, 2005
The faces could be seen around the room: Einstein, DaVinci and Picasso, among others. They appeared at the center of each table, in sketches completed by local artist Jamie Maxfield.
The scene was the 2004 annual fund raiser for the Asperger’s Association of New England, titled, "Portraits of Inspiration."
The drawings, explained Executive Director Dania Jekel, were of historically influential thinkers and creators who might have had Asperger’s Syndrome, a neurobiological disorder named for the physician who discovered what later became diagnostic criteria for the syndrome: A normal, if not above-average intelligence, but a marked deficiency in communication skills and social interaction, and in some cases, autistic-like behavior.
"When you look at their personal relationships, their intelligence, what they did - we think they may indeed have had Asperger’s," Jekel said. "People (with the syndrome) tend to sort of think outside the box. They process information a little differently. A fairly large number also tend to be very good writers or artists, and in addition to that, they tend to have a really strong focus.
"Because they have such a single focus and such a passion about one thing ... these people have done sort of really life changing creations and inventions in the past," she explained.
Given the history, the executive director said, it is not surprising that Maxfield himself is such "an incredible artist."
The 36-year old Arlington resident, who grew up in Lexington, but was born here and moved back two years ago, has had an interest in art his entire life, and can remember having a fascination with flip books early on.
But it was not until he was into his career as an animator, the same year that he created the portraits for the organization, that he began to realize he also might have Asperger’s Syndrome.
Maxfield said he identified with many of the descriptions of the disorder he found on the Internet, and realized many of the issues had plagued him since he was very young. After giving it nearly a year of thought, he placed a phone call to the Watertown-based association.
"I guess they could tell from my voice that I was speaking the truth," he recalled of the initial call for help.
Asperger’s Syndrome was not included in the DSM IV diagnostic criteria used by psychiatrists until 1994, and is still struggling in the world of mental science today, according to Jekel.
"It has been a little bit of a slow process to get it recognized by pediatricians and psychologists and social workers," she explained. "There are a number of people who grew up without knowing they had Asperger’s Syndrome. They essentially spent their entire life knowing something was different and feeling different ... and really struggling, not knowing why they could not do things that other people could do."
In recent years, the executive director said, the organization has worked with four individuals in their 70s who came to get help, like Maxfield, after hearing about the disorder on the Internet, or in a book or on television, as it becomes a more talked-about syndrome.
"They say, ’This is me,’" she said. "They see this really explains who they are. It’s really quite a revelation for a lot of people."
That was in many ways the case for Maxfield. He said growing up was often a struggle, dealing with a sort of "social blindness."
"I felt cut off from a lot of my friends," he said. "I used drawing as a way to build self-esteem."
He found himself lagging behind on a social level, yet all the while steadily climbing the academic ladder. After high school, the young man spent two years at Bennington College in Vermont, then transferred to the Rhode Island School of Design to complete his degree in film, video and animation.
Maxfield was excelling at his animation work: At the end of his senior year, he won a Student Academy Award for his film on winged race horses called, "Above Average." The award, he said, "is a really interesting feather in my cap."
After working for the next two years, he returned to school to get his master’s degree in experimental animation at the California Institute of Arts, where he again won an award for his thesis work on a film about figure drawing, which is working with nudes.
But it was a rocky road.
"I found myself working mostly alone as an animator," he said, adding: "I’ve always been a good artist, but I never dated in high school or college."
Entering the working world, after three years at CalArts, also proved to be a struggle at times.
"It’s always been a challenge for me to think of ways to do things independently," he explained. Storytelling was not easy, he said, because "I’ve always had a sort of passive view of what social interactivity is like." There is a tendency, he said, to see things in a more visual way.
"Living on my own has always been an uphill battle," he added.
A fresh outlook
While finishing up at CalArts, Maxfield got a call from Olive Jar Studios in Boston. He accepted a job offer, and in Boston got to work on projects that included commercials for MTV and Nickelodeon.
"It was a big nexus of talent (there)," he said.
Unfortunately, the company was bought out after three years, and his job was cut in the process. He has since been working on and off, in some cases on a project basis, for Soup 2 Nuts, which he described as a company that produces part-entertainment, part-educational software packages.
But the real turning point in his life, he said, came on that day in 2004 when he picked up the phone to call AANE.
Since becoming involved with the organization, Maxfield said, he has learned how to better interact with the outside world - what he calls "learning how to function in a neuro-typical world."
He has found a therapist through the organization, and has become heavily involved in volunteering and providing his artwork for events like the fund raiser in 2004. More recently, the organization hosted an event featuring neurologist Oliver Sacks, who authored the book, "Awakenings."
Maxfield created a portrait drawing of the keynote speaker and presented it to him on stage.
"He really captures people very well," said Jekel, who has gotten to know Maxfield since he became involved with the association. "He is just an incredible artist, very talented, and he has done a lot for the organization in that way."
The association provides multi-faceted programming for those affected by Asperger’s - individuals with the disorder or their family members - through job training programs, group discussions and activities, educational conferences and seminars.
"We’re probably one of the only organization in town that has sort of comprehensive support for adults with Asperger’s Syndrome," the executive director said. "We really have a very nice community where people meet each other ... and they don’t feel so isolated. They don’t feel so alone."
Maxfield met his first girlfriend through his involvement with the association, which developed into a relationship that he called "a big plus in my life."
His therapist has also helped him come to terms with the disorder, he said. When he recently was let go because he fell behind schedule on a project at work, they decided together that he should explain to his art director that he has Asperger’s.
Maxfield, who in conversation seems very much to have conquered many of the social challenges of his earlier years, is also considering moving his artwork in a new direction: exhibiting his work, and doing more of the portraits like those he has completed for the organization.
The artist said he is also contemplating teaching a workshop for young individuals with Asperger’s, who are interested in animation, explaining the beauty of the work to others.
"A line has a lot of life to it when you understand the dynamics of it," he said.
Jamie Maxfield works on a rough draft of the movements of Pigeion Guillemot. (Staff photo by Ann Ringwood)
By Jennifer Mann/ Staff Writer
Thursday, December 22, 2005
The faces could be seen around the room: Einstein, DaVinci and Picasso, among others. They appeared at the center of each table, in sketches completed by local artist Jamie Maxfield.
The scene was the 2004 annual fund raiser for the Asperger’s Association of New England, titled, "Portraits of Inspiration."
The drawings, explained Executive Director Dania Jekel, were of historically influential thinkers and creators who might have had Asperger’s Syndrome, a neurobiological disorder named for the physician who discovered what later became diagnostic criteria for the syndrome: A normal, if not above-average intelligence, but a marked deficiency in communication skills and social interaction, and in some cases, autistic-like behavior.
"When you look at their personal relationships, their intelligence, what they did - we think they may indeed have had Asperger’s," Jekel said. "People (with the syndrome) tend to sort of think outside the box. They process information a little differently. A fairly large number also tend to be very good writers or artists, and in addition to that, they tend to have a really strong focus.
"Because they have such a single focus and such a passion about one thing ... these people have done sort of really life changing creations and inventions in the past," she explained.
Given the history, the executive director said, it is not surprising that Maxfield himself is such "an incredible artist."
The 36-year old Arlington resident, who grew up in Lexington, but was born here and moved back two years ago, has had an interest in art his entire life, and can remember having a fascination with flip books early on.
But it was not until he was into his career as an animator, the same year that he created the portraits for the organization, that he began to realize he also might have Asperger’s Syndrome.
Maxfield said he identified with many of the descriptions of the disorder he found on the Internet, and realized many of the issues had plagued him since he was very young. After giving it nearly a year of thought, he placed a phone call to the Watertown-based association.
"I guess they could tell from my voice that I was speaking the truth," he recalled of the initial call for help.
Asperger’s Syndrome was not included in the DSM IV diagnostic criteria used by psychiatrists until 1994, and is still struggling in the world of mental science today, according to Jekel.
"It has been a little bit of a slow process to get it recognized by pediatricians and psychologists and social workers," she explained. "There are a number of people who grew up without knowing they had Asperger’s Syndrome. They essentially spent their entire life knowing something was different and feeling different ... and really struggling, not knowing why they could not do things that other people could do."
In recent years, the executive director said, the organization has worked with four individuals in their 70s who came to get help, like Maxfield, after hearing about the disorder on the Internet, or in a book or on television, as it becomes a more talked-about syndrome.
"They say, ’This is me,’" she said. "They see this really explains who they are. It’s really quite a revelation for a lot of people."
That was in many ways the case for Maxfield. He said growing up was often a struggle, dealing with a sort of "social blindness."
"I felt cut off from a lot of my friends," he said. "I used drawing as a way to build self-esteem."
He found himself lagging behind on a social level, yet all the while steadily climbing the academic ladder. After high school, the young man spent two years at Bennington College in Vermont, then transferred to the Rhode Island School of Design to complete his degree in film, video and animation.
Maxfield was excelling at his animation work: At the end of his senior year, he won a Student Academy Award for his film on winged race horses called, "Above Average." The award, he said, "is a really interesting feather in my cap."
After working for the next two years, he returned to school to get his master’s degree in experimental animation at the California Institute of Arts, where he again won an award for his thesis work on a film about figure drawing, which is working with nudes.
But it was a rocky road.
"I found myself working mostly alone as an animator," he said, adding: "I’ve always been a good artist, but I never dated in high school or college."
Entering the working world, after three years at CalArts, also proved to be a struggle at times.
"It’s always been a challenge for me to think of ways to do things independently," he explained. Storytelling was not easy, he said, because "I’ve always had a sort of passive view of what social interactivity is like." There is a tendency, he said, to see things in a more visual way.
"Living on my own has always been an uphill battle," he added.
A fresh outlook
While finishing up at CalArts, Maxfield got a call from Olive Jar Studios in Boston. He accepted a job offer, and in Boston got to work on projects that included commercials for MTV and Nickelodeon.
"It was a big nexus of talent (there)," he said.
Unfortunately, the company was bought out after three years, and his job was cut in the process. He has since been working on and off, in some cases on a project basis, for Soup 2 Nuts, which he described as a company that produces part-entertainment, part-educational software packages.
But the real turning point in his life, he said, came on that day in 2004 when he picked up the phone to call AANE.
Since becoming involved with the organization, Maxfield said, he has learned how to better interact with the outside world - what he calls "learning how to function in a neuro-typical world."
He has found a therapist through the organization, and has become heavily involved in volunteering and providing his artwork for events like the fund raiser in 2004. More recently, the organization hosted an event featuring neurologist Oliver Sacks, who authored the book, "Awakenings."
Maxfield created a portrait drawing of the keynote speaker and presented it to him on stage.
"He really captures people very well," said Jekel, who has gotten to know Maxfield since he became involved with the association. "He is just an incredible artist, very talented, and he has done a lot for the organization in that way."
The association provides multi-faceted programming for those affected by Asperger’s - individuals with the disorder or their family members - through job training programs, group discussions and activities, educational conferences and seminars.
"We’re probably one of the only organization in town that has sort of comprehensive support for adults with Asperger’s Syndrome," the executive director said. "We really have a very nice community where people meet each other ... and they don’t feel so isolated. They don’t feel so alone."
Maxfield met his first girlfriend through his involvement with the association, which developed into a relationship that he called "a big plus in my life."
His therapist has also helped him come to terms with the disorder, he said. When he recently was let go because he fell behind schedule on a project at work, they decided together that he should explain to his art director that he has Asperger’s.
Maxfield, who in conversation seems very much to have conquered many of the social challenges of his earlier years, is also considering moving his artwork in a new direction: exhibiting his work, and doing more of the portraits like those he has completed for the organization.
The artist said he is also contemplating teaching a workshop for young individuals with Asperger’s, who are interested in animation, explaining the beauty of the work to others.
"A line has a lot of life to it when you understand the dynamics of it," he said.
Jamie Maxfield works on a rough draft of the movements of Pigeion Guillemot. (Staff photo by Ann Ringwood)