News and Knowledge

OAR thanks all of the 2022 Youth Art Contest entrants. Our second annual Youth Art Contest received amazing entries from 47 artists in 15 states and two countries, making each category and age group very competitive. In honor of OAR’s 20th anniversary, this year’s theme was “celebration” and every entry demonstrated that theme in a unique and inspiring way.  

In fact, each entry was so amazing, we have to give extra special thanks to our guest judges, as they could not have had an easy time in selecting the winners. OAR’s guest judges in this year’s art contest were: 

• Maggie O’Neill: She is an artist, designer, and creative entrepreneur based in Washington, DC. She is the co-founder of SWATCHROOM, a creative design agency specializing in hospitality art and community as well as a nationally recognized artist known for pop impressionist paintings, mixed media work, and public art. You can find her work on her website and Instagram.   
• Shane Shannon: He is an autistic artist who was diagnosed with autism at age two. He worked hard to develop communication skills with the support of many people. His grandmother is his teacher, and his family helps with the details. You can find his work at his website.  

And the Winners Are…

OAR is proud to announce the winners of the OAR’s 2022 Youth Art Contest. 

Autistic Youth Category

• 8 years old and under – Dandelion by Jenny B. 
• Ages 9 -13 – Happy New Year by Braydon S. 
• 14 years old and older – Celebration by Varun V. 

Siblings, Relatives, and Friends of Autistic Individuals Category

• 10 years old and under – Celebrating Dog by Lexi M. 
• Ages 11 – 18 – Together we will touch the sky by Nadia F. 
• Grand Prize Winner – Celebrating a Time for Change by Gabrielle D.  

Be sure to visit the Youth Art Contest page to see the winning entries. You can also send a donation e-card throughout April featuring the artwork of the winners.  

Do you have any suggestions for next year’s theme? Send them to artcontest@researchautism.org. We are so excited about the entries we received this year, and cannot wait to launch the new art contest next year!