Don't Care Bear // ASD (Autism)

Don't Care Bear // ASD (Autism) 
Hand spray painted 4-layer stencil artwork (1 of 5)
Spray paint on 280gsm black card stock
Hand embellished
A4 (210 x 297mm)
 
Packaged with thick backing, an Authenticity Certificate and sticker.
Hand signed and numbered.
Each artwork is unique and original.
 
As a child, the Care Bears were one of my special interests. They were my companions through hours of imaginative play, bringing comfort, safety and a sense of belonging in a world that often felt confusing.
As an adult, I was diagnosed as Autistic and with ADHD. Like many women, my neurodivergence went unrecognised throughout childhood because the research, understanding and diagnostic criteria focused predominantly on boys. I often wonder how different my life might have been if someone had recognised the signs earlier. Now, navigating Autism, ADHD and
perimenopause has been both confronting and validating. The overlap between these experiences remains under-researched, leaving many women feeling unseen, unheard and unsupported.
The Don’t Care Bears series reimagines a beloved childhood icon through the lens of adulthood. Each bear represents a different experience: ADHD, Autism and Perimenopause. Using humour,
nostalgia and bold street art aesthetics, the series explores topics that are rarely spoken about openly.
These works are both a protest and a celebration. They are a protest against the lack of understanding that left so many of us invisible for decades. They are also a celebration of finally knowing ourselves. They are for everyone who has ever felt different, masked who they were to fit in, or wished they had seen
someone like themselves reflected back in the world. Sometimes caring for yourself starts by embracing the parts of you that others never understood.