Alex Art Loft

Derwood, Maryland mom Diana Martin is an entrepreneur whose business is her son’s business. Alex, age 17, is an artist, and he has autism. Alex’s Art Loft, opened in 2009, started out offering creative cards for every occasion but has expanded to promotional items like shirts and hats and even skateboards bearing his designs. He also creates custom bracelets to benefit autism awareness and other causes.

Building a Business

Martin describes Alex as “primarily nonverbal, at a 2nd grade level academically and has few social skills. He is considered by some to be in the middle of the [autism] spectrum, which I interpret as neither too high nor too low.” When Alex entered his middle teens, his occupational therapy began to include trying on possible job situations. Alex is in the upper school at Ivymount, which he’ll leave when he’s 21. “I had always seen that Alex was very good one-on-one with crafts,” says Martin. “I knew how it was important for Alex to have his own business, because adult services were so limited for kids with disabilities.”

Alex also has severe apraxia—his oral motor skills are underdeveloped. “So he’s very visual,” explains his mom. Originally, he used an augmentative communications device called ChatPC but now works with Proloquo2go on his iPod, which helps him with difficulties talking. As she describes, “It’s automated picture symbols. Each symbol has a recorded voice on it. Also it has a section for commonly used statements like, ‘Welcome to my craft table’ or ‘My favorite card is …’”

Martin blogs on the business’ website (alexartloft.org) about her learning curve handling many of the operational aspects of Alex’s Art Loft, the website management, resource lists and more. “I’m learning a lot about website design and online marketing,” she says, adding, “we could use an intern who has computer/website experience!” Her husband Don co-runs the business, helping with finances and with the craft table. “Because of his unique skills as a person with autism,” she says, Alex can keep inventory, enter customer names in QuickBooks, put the bracelets they sell into their plastic bags and help set up and break down the craft table at events.

Alex’s work has been featured in two galleries, Mary Pfister Studio in Frederick and Skyloft Gallery in Baltimore. Alex’s Art Loft has become a community affair with the support of local Montgomery County businesses offering to sell his products: Parcel Plus at Loehmann’s Plaza, Cheryl’s Health Boutique, VisArts, Butler’s Orchard, Mosaic Cuisine & Café and others. “We’ve had a lot of good support,” says Martin.

To read the full article, click this link: http://www.washingtonparent.com/articles/1011/mom.php

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