Artist DELA McDONALD is a parent of three, a full-time student, a partner, an artist, and a friend. She is also autistic, as is one of her children. Dela resides in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Dela started making art as a therapeutic outlet. She considers visual language to be her first language. She says that gaining fluency in visual language “opened worlds to [her] that [she’s] been dreaming of for many years.”
Common themes and motifs in Dela’s art include animal symbolism, nature and biology.
“My two enduring special interests have been ecology and art, and I strive to merge the two in my work.”
—Dela McDonlad
Dela’s most recent project, Happy Hands, promotes education and acceptance concerning autistic children like her daughter Rue. Dela draws comics to teach people about autism in a fun, visual way.
Be sure to follow Happy Hands on instagram!