Casey Metcalfe
Casey Metcalfe is obsessed with money. He has no interest in spending it, but rather focuses on the portraits of presidents and artistically renders them based on these images. He is twelve years old and aware of his obsession with world leaders, spending his time studying them and watching world news. Using colored pencils, Casey illustrates everyone from Ho Chi Minh and Saddam Hussein to Hillary Clinton and President Obama. From Marilyn Monroe and Babe Ruth to Rosa Parks and Anne Frank, the list goes on. And on. The volume of his work has filled his home, and now beginning to fill galleries.
I am a 12-year old boy with Asperger’s syndrome, sometimes called “autism lite.” I see the world differently and have a hard time understanding how to behave the rules I don’t get. I also have serial obsessions; like clocks, elevators, doors and money. I began drawing presidents who were on the dollar bills, and as I did, I learned about them. Then, I learned there are people whose job is to influence the presidents, like rich people, politicians and news people. I like to watch MSNBC, CNN, Frontline and 60 Minutes. I guess these shows are my new obsession. I live in Vermont where there are more people with gray hair than in California, where I used to live. It snows here in the fall, winter and spring; and bugs live indoors with the people in the spring, summer and fall. I moved here last August; I used to live under the Hollywood sign. By the way, I like the color yellow. I think that was my first obsession.
