Intern Spotlight: Caden Fifield

My experience was when I was six building Legos. And at first, it was just teaching me to My experience with art began when I was six years old, building with Legos. At first, it was simply about learning how to follow instructions and put pieces together. However, as I continued building increasingly, it started to teach me creativity and imagination. I began to experiment with my own designs instead of just following the guides. As I grew older, I realized that building Legos was a form of art, and that realization inspired me to explore other types of artistic expression.

The first new form of art I tried was drawing and coloring. I started doing it mostly for fun, but over time I developed more skills through practice. The more I worked on it, the more I enjoyed it, and it motivated me to keep improving.

In middle school, I took art classes where I learned different techniques and materials. By eighth grade, I was working with crayons and chalk, which helped me understand shading and texture. In high school, I expanded into ceramics, creating objects out of clay, and learning how to use a pottery wheel. By my senior year, I returned to visual arts like drawing and painting, including digital art on Procreate. These experiences have shown me that art is where I truly belong.

Being involved in visual arts is an important part of who I am as an autistic student. Through art, I have grown more passionate, kind, and creative. It allows me to express myself in ways that words sometimes cannot. Art has become a big part of my identity and who I am becoming. As I continue to grow and improve, I am working toward becoming the artist I want to be—someone I can be proud of and someone who can share their creativity with the world.