Jeremy Sicile-Kira is autistic –and ARTistic. The 27 year-old has Synesthesia, a condition that produces a blending of the senses. In Sicile-Kira’s case, he can see people’s moods and auras represented in an array of colors, which he turns into paintings. Jeremy, who has very few verbal skills, tells PEOPLE through email,
“I see color in everything that is alive – in people, animals, plants, even butterflies. Color is evident in everything to me. I see people’s emotions translated into color when I look at them. I see more great colors in people’s faces depending on their mood.“
Jeremy’s mother, Chantal, says three years ago her son asked if everyone saw people in colors, like him.
“I said no, and that makes you special! He has this incredible ability to sense people’s personalities. He can see pain and sadness and happiness and joy. He has a true gift.“
After finding out he had synesthesia, Jeremy decided to start making artwork based on the colors swirling in his head. He meets with clients (if they live far away, he can Skype with them) in order to “read” their colors. It then takes him a few weeks to finish the painting.
“I can make people happy [with my art] and I just feel grateful to have a way to give back to the world of people around me. I hope [the recipients] feel happy about their life and greatly feel and realize they are beautiful on the inside as well as outside.“
Stephanie Rubino bought one of Jeremy’s originals at a silent auction to benefit autism two years ago.
“We video-chatted and he asked me questions and got to know me. He used a letter board to communicate with me and I could tell he was intensely focused on me and on finding out who I was.“
Three weeks later, Rubino, who has an autistic, received a canvas with waves of blended greens and yellows and blues and purples.
“The colors represented me so accurately. It’s beautiful. I could just tell that for him, he’s doing this because it comes naturally and he loves doing it.“
Jeremy’s first solo exhibit, Inner Dimensions, will take place in San Diego, California, starting Monday April 11, to coincide with Autism Awareness Month.
He hopes to sell enough of his paintings, which range in price from $175 to $1,800, to one day become completely self-sufficient.
“I see beautiful colors in my dreams and I wanted to see that beauty in real life,” explains Jeremy. “[Painting] calms me. I love the movement of the brush… It’s like a musician truly playing a beautiful instrument: both have great melodies.
Painting is a release for me.“
As an artist, this is so inspiring and kinda makes me tear up. I know, I’m a sap, but I love this guy.
(Photos, Chantal Sicile-Kira; via People)