Teenage autistic artist's work heading to MMA

BROOKLYN (WABC) -- A 19-year-old autistic teenager from Brooklyn will soon have one of his paintings on display in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Amoako Buachie's deep love of art is what now drives his passion and feeds his soul.

Thinking back through his 19-years, his mother, Akosua Mainu, saw his talents emerge early.

"He makes sketches out of pencil. He was always holding a pencil," described Akosua.

But as a student with Autism, Amoako struggled through school, until he arrived at Jim Thorpe P.S. 370 last year where his talent leaped onto the canvas.

"When you first started working with him did you have any idea he had such talent?" asked Eyewitness News.

"I knew there was something there," explained Audrey Lacy, Amoako's art teacher.

One day Audrey Lacy, his art teacher, had Amoako draw his friend, Andre.

"I was looking at my friend, and I was painting him," said Amoako.

"It was challenging to look Andre in the eye," he wrote later, "but when I looked carefully, I was able to draw his face and it really looked like him."

From his pen, then later his water colors, came a masterpiece in so many ways.

"I was just shocked. It was a social exercise to building eye contact with his peers," said Lacy.

The ultimate prize though came when "My Friend Andre" was selected from 800 entries in the P.S. Art Competition, to be part of a special exhibit of 75 works at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

"I think it will be great," said Amoako.

"For his art work to go to this place, it was amazing," said Akosua.

Now Amoako is working on a mural from an original pencil sketch for an upcoming competition. His future looks very bright.

"I'm going to sell all my arts to everyone," said Amoako.

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new york city, autism, metropolitan museum of art, local news, tim fleischer

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