As an autistic adult my artwork illustrates my social range & abilities. This series reflects on my time on the Bering Sea while serving in the United States Coast Guard (an unexpected accomplishment of someone with Special Needs) and is intended to demonstrate my autistic abilities & promote inclusion for anyone who may be perceived as being different.

Sea-ing is being No. 1

I see the development and use of digital tools like an iPad and Pencil in the same way that that tube of paint advanced plein air in the past. I think it’s the most exciting time to be a landscape or plein air artist. We’re at a point where the scientific advancement of the iPad allows us to bring plein air back inside into the printshop or scaled up into public art. When one looks at my work you can see plein air concepts throughout it and, while it’s important to be able to paint plein air traditionally with oils, I believe it’s equally important to maximize new technologies and allow plein air to crossover to other media in new and innovative ways.

Bldg. 238 through the trees

Turbulence and turmoil (the brightness within)

I see the development and use of digital tools like an iPad and Pencil in the same way that that tube of paint advanced plein air in the past. I think it’s the most exciting time to be a landscape or plein air artist. We’re at a point where the scientific advancement of the iPad allows us to bring plein air back inside into the printshop or scaled up into public art. When one looks at my work you can see plein air concepts throughout it and, while it’s important to be able to paint plein air traditionally with oils, I believe it’s equally important to maximize new technologies and allow plein air to crossover to other media in new and innovative ways.


From my front doorstep

I see the development and use of digital tools like an iPad and Pencil in the same way that that tube of paint advanced plein air in the past. I think it’s the most exciting time to be a landscape or plein air artist. We’re at a point where the scientific advancement of the iPad allows us to bring plein air back inside into the printshop or scaled up into public art. When one looks at my work you can see plein air concepts throughout it and, while it’s important to be able to paint plein air traditionally with oils, I believe it’s equally important to maximize new technologies and allow plein air to crossover to other media in new and innovative ways.

Completed after I learned to work in and around social norms after my Coast Guard experiences. This traditional representational painting (abstract to me) still contains elements of how I prefer to see and interpret the world.


Re-imagining things (Social Distraction)

Painted after I learned to work in and around social norms after my Coast Guard experiences; illustrating my longing to return to the sea. This representational drawing (abstract to me) still contains elements of how I prefer to see and interpret the world.

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Mark Colin Oldland