Reuel

When Reuel was just two, his family noticed he avoided eye contact – a sign that led to an early diagnosis of autism. As he grew, communication with others became increasingly difficult, and emotional outbursts became part of everyday life.

Then, during the pandemic lockdown, something extraordinary happened. To help him stay engaged at home, his parents gave him a paint-by-numbers kit. What began as a simple activity soon revealed Reuel’s remarkable eye for colour. He quickly moved from filling numbered spaces to creating intricate works on blank canvases, fuelled by curiosity and self-learning through YouTube tutorials.

Today, Reuel is a still-life and landscape artist, with paintings that have found their way into private and corporate collections.

Your contribution to President’s Challenge helps unlock the potential of many more like Reuel.