PASSION FOR PAINTING

By Sean Barron

Everything under the son gives inspiration

A Warren father says his son’s diagnosis of autism brought out the best in him.

WARREN — A perfunctory look at a watercolor painting by Mauro A. DiVieste titled “Mikey” shows a 5-year-old carefree-looking boy standing on and holding a swing.

What isn’t so apparent, however, is that the portrait really is a study in contrasts.

“He has incredible balance for a kid they said wouldn’t walk,” DiVieste said, referring to his 7-year-old son, Michael, who was diagnosed with autism in April 2007 at the Cleveland Clinic.

DiVieste, a real-estate tax clerk with the Trumbull County Treasurer’s office, said his artworks have been heavily influenced by Michael, who attends the Rich Center for the Study and Treatment of Autism at Youngstown State University.

DiVieste painted “Mikey” last year and took it from a photograph, he explained.

“I’ve always done artwork, but never with this much passion,” he said, adding that he received training in high school before graduating from Howland High in 1990. “Autism forces you to bring out the best in yourself.”

About the disorder

Autism is a neurological spectrum disorder that ranges from mild to severe and affects many people’s social, speech, language and fine-motor abilities as well as sensory systems in varying ways and degrees. Common signs include rocking, lack of eye contact, an unusual preference for sameness, an abnormally high pain threshold and stereotypical movements. About 1 in 94 births results in a diagnosis, according to the latest figures by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

DiVieste and his wife, Beverly, spoke recently from the family’s North Avenue Northeast home about their son, as well as the influence he’s had on DiVieste’s art. The couple’s other child is their 1-year-old daughter, Madalena.

In addition to paintings, DiVieste creates abstract works and pencil drawings — all with his son’s influence built in, he said.

An example is a drawing of Padre Pio, an Italian saint said to have died in the late 1960s with the wounds of Jesus Christ.

On Oct. 3, he hosted a fundraiser benefit, “The Art of Autism,” in Warren for the Rich Center that showcased many of his works. The show raised $5,000 for the center.

Early signs

When Michael was about 5 months old, both parents sensed something was wrong because the infant couldn’t hold his head up well and he was devoid of eye contact. As late as 10 months, he still was not crawling, DiVieste noted.

The DiViestes said, Michael took his first steps unassisted around age 2; previously, he had walked by holding onto furniture, they continued.

The youngster also had noticeable speech delays. Any words that came always seemed to be fleeting.

“He talked a little and said, ‘Dad’s got one’ [referring to Lego toys]. I’ll never forget it. He occasionally said ‘flower’ after a toy he had,” DiVieste recalled.

Michael’s eye contact has vastly improved since his enrollment at the Rich Center in fall 2007, his father added. The boy uses a therapy called Picture Exchange Communication System, which is an augmentative and alternative tool that relies on pictures instead of words to help children with autism communicate.

“He’s like a Ferrari engine put in an old Ford truck,” added Beverly, referring to the discrepancy between what’s often occurring in Michael’s head and his ability to process much of it.

Beverly, a file clerk with the Trumbull County Clerk of Courts in Warren, said that a key ingredient in dealing with her son’s challenges is maintaining a sense of humor.

DiVieste said that the huge increase in awareness of autism is a “Catch 22,” meaning that celebrities such as Jennie McCarthy have helped bring the disorder more into the mainstream while giving it greater exposure. On the other hand, such an approach can cause some people to think that autism can be quickly cured.

“Some don’t realize it’s an everyday thing,” she said, adding that parents who receive a diagnosis for their children should never be afraid to question their doctors and pediatricians.

Beverly shared the primary long-term goals she and her husband wish for their son.

“We parents [with a child with autism] want the same things as typical parents for our kids — for them to be strong, independent and able to get along in the world,” she said.