Autism...

The diagnosis was received when Grace Walker Goad was 32 months in 1997. After a year of typical, grueling early interventions for her disorder, her mother, author/speaker/advocate Leisa A. Hammett knew this truth: children with disAbilities deserve the joy of art making, too. In addition to other fundamental autism early interventions of speech/language, behavioral, occupational and educational therapies, Grace began enjoying the pleasure and therapeutic benefits of dance/movement, music and art therapies. But, it was visual art that her mother, her father, Jeff Goad, and her art therapist could see, that at age four, was Grace’s keenest mode of expression. Since then Grace has continued working, largely one-on-one, with arts therapists and teachers.

Art is a window into the potential and beauty within the world of disAbility....

Grace began exhibiting her art at age six. She began selling at age eight. At age twelve, she began receiving local, regional, national and international acclaim via newspapers, magazines, the internet and television. In 2007, she appeared on the autism episode of ABC’s “The View.” That year, GraceArt, was launched to sell a card and print line, in addition to Grace’s originals. Her work has also been featured on a book and magazine cover and a national conference t-shirt. GraceArt is shown regularly in Nashville, is held by private collectors, in addition to Vanderbilt Kennedy Center, Vanderbilt Children's Hospital and the Tennessee Arts Commission's Tennessee Artists Collection at the Tennessee State Museum, plus various southeastern galleries.

As a teenager now, Grace enjoys a happy, healthy, well-rounded life brimming with meaningful activity, art, plus heapings of love and celebration for who she is and the gifts she brings to the world as a Differently Abled individual living with Autism.