Written by Lisa Browning
“What makes me different is what makes me powerful.”
~ Dr. Temple Grandin
According to a study published in The Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders about ten years ago, there is a strong link between autism and creativity. Nathan Gatten comes to mind as a perfect example of this connection, and the fact that October is Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month is a perfect seqway to this month’s spotlight.
Nathan is an autistic artist from Fergus, Ontario, who works mainly in illustrations and oil paintings, and has worked on a continuing series of vibrant space paintings based on Hubble images. He’s also done various paintings of wolves and pets, and continues to expand his styles and subject matter. He has worked with a variety of organizations, and has art in homes across North America. For about 15 years his family had a beloved and mischievous Shih-tzu dog named Jake, who was a major inspiration for his drawings of pets and compassion for animals.
I first met Nathan in November of 2025, when I was asked to consider publishing his first book, an illustrated fantasy called Chronicles of Foxglove. I was also honoured to include one of Nathan’s drawings in The Art of Animal Advocacy fundraising calendar.
I asked Nathan a few questions about the process of putting the book together, and about creativity and life on the spectrum. Following are those questions, and Nathan’s responses.
- Tell us about your book.
Chronicles of Foxclove is an illustrated cozy fantasy novel taking place in this mythical island of Foxclove. It’s told in a series of letters sent to the reader, throughout the week in the life of writer Zoyali. She writes to the reader about her home, and her current quest in solving a mystery of an approaching comet.
- Where did the idea first come from?
The idea came from many things, such as being inspired by “world building,” which is a hobby a lot of my friends are into. It involves inventing fantasy worlds and lore for fun.
Growing up I loved those Dorling Kindersley books that talked about the world and history and different historical cultures. I’ve also watched many travelogues on YouTube, including ones that go in-depth about the places being visited. Movies, books and video games are also a massive inspiration.
- What were the reasons that led you to creating this book?
Many things. It first began as a series of illustrations I did, and I began making pages of notes as a way to explain all that goes on in these illustrations.
I first did these illustrations just with a pencil and ink, so they were all in black and white, and I began posting them on instagram. Interest increased, and a lot of people were excited for me to turn the illustrations into a story.
So I began colouring them in using Procreate and a tablet, and soon some of my friends stepped forward to help me turn it into a book.
- What do you hope to accomplish as a result of it being published?
Even simply just getting it out there feels like a major accomplishment. I never thought I’d be able to make a story this unusual into a book of any kind. But I had the drive and the encouragement of friends and family and that helped tons. I would like to hope it encourages people to support neurodivergent artists, and help get adults back into fantasy reading.
- What have been, or continue to be, your biggest challenges, living on the spectrum?
I’ve faced many challenges over the years. I grew up in a school that had no understanding of autism and disabilities, and severely lacked services and care. It was only through massive undertakings by my (and other) parents that the school was able to get an EA, and even then it was very limited. I understand EAs are far more common now, and for good reason.
School was certainly challenging, though I won’t go too deep into it. Managing my disability every day of course is a challenge, as well as managing my life in a way that suits me best. Transportation is a hurdle as well.
Another problem a lot of people are dealing with lately is the cutting of services to disabled people and education, as well as prejudices in society. There still needs to be more accommodations and understanding for disabled people in general.
- What have been, or continue to be, your greatest joys?
My greatest joys are being with friends who understand me and accommodate for me. While I enjoy doing a lot of my art in peace and solitude, I still love talking and interacting with people.
I love movies and video games, which have brought so much peace and joy to my life. And not just watching movies, but I find hearing about the making of movies to be truly magical. And while travel is challenging I do like catching events and various visits to other places. Listening to music is such a joy; it helps my emotions and gives me great peace.
- What does wellness mean to you?
Wellness means a lot of different things to me, on many different levels. It means taking care of my energy, writing things down, pacing myself, meditating, finding time to relax and care, not being overstimulated. Art itself is a wonderful way to clear the mind and build routine.
- How do you think you inspire others?
I hope to inspire others through my art and who I am. I’d like to inspire them to get into art and storytelling, and I want to inspire people to know they are inherently valuable. Even if they can’t work as much, or have ambitions that are different from other people, they still have value. Our worth shouldn’t be tied to our output. I would like to hope I Inspire others by staying true to myself, and loving myself and caring for other people.
Chronicles of Foxclove is in the final stages of production, and should be available before Christmas at www.onethousandtrees.com/shop.
