Clayden Botes :Turning Autism into Artistic Triumph

Welcome to Why Not Me the World? Podcast hosted by
Tony Mantor, broadcasting from Music City, USA, Nashville, Tennessee. Join
us as our guests tell us their stories. Some will
make you laugh, some will make you cry. Real life
people who will inspire and show that you are not
alone in this world. Hopefully you'll gain more awareness, acceptance,
and a better understanding for autism around the world. Hi,
I'm Tony Mantor. Welcome to Why Not Me the World.
Today's guest is from South Africa, Clayton and his mother Antoinette.
This story is one of inspiration. This shows whatever you
want to do, you can do. It tells the story
of how Clayton has become a very well known artist,
not only in his area, but gaining around the world.
So welcomes Thachiyo.
We listen to your soul this morning. Am my goodness,
it's sorry, it's so nice. Yes, no, it's almost like
you wrote rich, especially for Clyde and in the situation
that we've been through the last three years.
Oh, thanks so much. I really appreciate that. So let's
start it off with when was Clayton diagnosed artistic.
Claden was darknost at the age of six years old,
and he was darknosed. After you know, we went through
all the out teas immediately. You know what happened there
is he was diagnosed and I was seeing hand with
the script.
What was your first thoughts when you was told of
his diagnosis.
No, it was kind of in denial because you know,
being a mom, you don't want you to hear that
they might be something wrong.
You know.
I didn't take me long to gather my thoughts and
to get myself together and then right up what I
needed to now and then tack it from there.
That's a great attitude to have. So, Clayton, you were
young just learning. What was your thoughts on this?
So when I was very young, I didn't really know
I had autism. When I was six years old, my
mom told me I had autism. I didn't really understand
what it was. I can't grasp the concept of what
autism was or what autism is, So throughout all those years,
I'd had no idea that autism. The things I struggled
with were reading and writing, and sound and taste like
for example, I mean texture, So I couldn't eat certain
types of foods, any food though it was pasta so
we grew out of it. Struggled with sound a lot.
I could only go to my first movie theater at
the age of ten because I doubt that it's way
more better. So those were the main things I struggled
with with autism.
What was the school system like at that time? Was
it public private? What type of system did they have
in place to allow you to have a day to
day schedule for him?
So in South Africa there is no schools for autistic
children at the government. There's no government school for autistic children.
And the schools that is available or mostly private schools.
What I have found as a parent, and I'm a
single parent, always have been is you will find a
school and then the school thees will be double that
and the teachers or in our shape form equipped to
you with his children.
That's just so unfortunate. So Clayton, if they weren't equipped,
how did you find it and how did you handle it?
It was it was only one it was only two teachers.
One of their teachers in my class was really mean
to me and the other one was the principal. All
the other teachers were nice to me and treated me well.
But I remember it was the last year at one
of my schools and the teacher there. The first she
was fine, she literally said that much. But second year
she was really disrespectful and was treating me very badly
because I couldn't read and write. She would kick me
out of the class because of that. And usually people
of autusing they fidget and play a round of things.
And the way I would try to concentrate was by drawing,
and because of that she hated it and would kick
me out of the class because of it.
That's just so sad to hear. Everyone is different, everyone
deserves a chance. She just didn't get what you was
capable of doing. Now, Antoinette, didn't you tell me about
some interview about South African schools the.
Minister of Education in South Africa. On the interview, she said,
the government has grossly neglilected what theystic children. There is
nice schools.
That's when you decided to make a change for Clayton, correct.
I took Clyden during COVID, I took turn out of school.
My son was not happy and you know, the things
that went on was not right.
I can fully understand that now that you're out of school,
what changes have you seen, what's your day to day
look like, and what's going on As far as you're art.
I think when I started doing I've always done art
at a very young age, like ever since I picked
up a crayon, I just drew. It's just that I
had school, homework, exams, and I don't really have time
to do that much art. But then when COVID happened,
couldn't go to school because of what was going on,
the entire pandemic and all of that gave me time
to do more art, and I started spending more time
drawing and really honing on my skills and becoming better
at art. But then when school reopened, they it didn't
completely reopen. There were days of the week where kids
went to school, they couldn't go to school. Some days
they would go to school, some days it would get canceled,
and there was just no order or structure. Because I
have autism, I need structure in my life and I
need things to be an order otherwise I havenxiety, so
I couldn't really deal with it that well. So my
mom desided to take me out of school because I
was having a lot of anxiety and couldn't deal with
it that well, and when that happened, my mom decided
to stop the business.
That's so good. I'm glad that it's working out well
for you. How long has it been going, how is
it growing? And did you get any brush back for
starting the business because that's not your normal typical thing
to do, where people think that he should be in school.
Yeah. So it will be three years next week since
we started the business, and you know, I've got a
lot of judgment for talking town out of school. But
I decided that instead of letting my son go through
another couple of years week. You know, he is struggling
so much and he doesn't get the help he needs.
And because society expects from me that he has to
have my trike, he has to have this stamp to
my keeim acceptable piety. I decided to just ignore everything
and to give him all the tools he needs. I mean,
he's got the massimizing studio and to help him grow
to become the best autist he can be, because that
is going to be an autist another amount of degree,
little piece of piper behind these and I was going
to make him a beta autist.
I completely understand that. I remember when I was in
school taking geometry, I thought, I want to be a musician.
Why am I doing this? So I totally get what
you're saying. Then you add that he's artistic and you
have to really do what you think is the very
best thing for him at the time. So I understand
that it's growing to a worldwide status.
Now, yes, now we've opened up. Actually I'm from an
accounting background. I am in our wife shack and fum
an artist or any authis. I didn't cover it.
I lost my job as well.
I worked for a massive company and I started lining's
designs with sliding and it was always local and about
three weeks agod because I had a I mean, I
got quite a nice following and people would, oh, can
you please you know, sent to the USA or to
the UK or Ireland wherever, and it was just too
expensive to send from here. So I found a job
stipping company in the United States, which I'm so thankful for,
so thankful, and I saw it building a website. So
we've got international website as well now and so yeah,
we on our international as from about three weeks ago.
That's so good to hear. I just love to hear
a success story. So when you sit down and decide
you're going to draw something, do you plan it out,
map it out, or do you just go with your
inner feeling what inspires you to get it going?
Norm of course, I mean, but.
The thing about artists, you don't really inspiration is not
the easiest thing to really fine as an artist. You
can spend days trying to get inspiration. You'll just get
nothing out of it. It's it's just something you get
out of the blue, Like you get inspire, it out
of nowhere. The main thing that artists concentrate on is
not getting inspired, but motivation. Keeping the motivation to draw
is the most important thing, not really the inspiration. So
I guess the main thing I concentrate on it is
my motivation and not really where I get my ideas
away to draw. It's just something you just get out
of the blue, and it's just one of the things
you just, you know, stumbled on.
I totally get that. As a musician, it's the same thing.
You can sit down and start writing and just get
this mind block and nothing happens. Then all of a
sudden you're sitting aside doing nothing and you get inspiration
to write. Something and it can be just so really
good for you. So let me change the question then,
who inspires you to do what you do?
I actually did have a lot of YouTube's I looked
up to this one of there's still a couple of
them I still look up to, like Dwarve Jazzer ten hundred.
I do look up to those YouTube artists quite a lot.
So, but your stygn is different from them. I mean,
you've got your Onlynique Stup.
That's a good thing. Everyone has to have their own style,
their own way of doing things. Then you build your
audience from that.
You know, he's very inspired, like for instance, mister Beast
Jimmy and for the work he's doing, who I'm exciting.
It's just such a kind and a soul and he
always wants to go help people, so he will you know,
watched because while he's drawing, you watch YouTube videos in
the background for him in order to to to do
the odds. And he's constantly on his phone watching these
people and watching their journeys.
That's really good because that's just a way to expand
by learning what other people are doing.
One of the things I watch in the background are
it's a small So these people that I watch in
the background, they're called Wing Canvas. It's like an art school,
a free art school on YouTube. They do live streams
of them teaching you how to draw certain types of things,
certain techniques like how they draw hair, or how to
create mechs, or how to do textures like glass. I
am how to draw water, and I usually watch those
videos in the background, and that helps a lot when
it comes to me trying to improve my art, because
it's still a lot of things that I need to
improve upon, and there's a lot of things only get
better out with art.
Sure, it takes time to develop into what you're going
to be. And you're only fifteen years old, so you've
got a long way to go. But you're doing such
a great job so far. So do you get a
lot of emails requesting special customer orders or just any
emails just for orders? How's that going for you right now?
Yeah? He gets. I mean he's done quite a bit
of nugos for companies, he's done for schools, he's done work.
He's got customers that he does tattoo designs for, and
that is not his next thing. He want to learn.
Clay wants to learn how to do tattoos.
I think that would be great. I mean there's a
lot of art in tattoos and there's a lot of
people that want it. I've seen his designs and they
are just awesome. So you're a single mother, you're in
South Africa. Do you have any friends or family that
live close that can help you when you need it.
I do have parents, but we we Our dynamic is
very you know, we love each other, but I do
they think they look after themselves. We see them once
a year. Once a year we'll see them and then
Tell's got two older brothers. One is thirty two that
I one to thirty and by doing their own things.
So yeah, I'm sid and has always see s grown
up and now in me and got to know is
for the when he was lost year.
Okay, I've seen where on social media you promote yourself
as artism is your superpower? So is that your slogan
or do you have and have something that you use
to promote yourself as an artist?
I guess one day me and my mom want to
have a slogan for the business. And we were just
throwing ideas around and until we landed with it's okay
to be different, and we decide to continue with that.
Then one day I ended up making a T shirt.
What had that slogan? So I could so we could
sell it as a T shirt.
And I really like that. That's a that's a great
slogan because it fits. So you mentioned tattoos, So do
you see yourself getting into tattoos and doing more on
that line as well as your art as you keep
moving forward.
Yes. To be honest, what what I do is there's
a lot of things on to you as an artist,
but I'm gonna mainly contrent doing tattoos and YouTube videos
because I can see people freelance, Yeah, freelance or speaks.
People who are freelance autists make quite a good amount
of money.
Absolutely do. Because when someone can take an idea and
turn it into something, either on paper or on video,
whatever the form may be, it's a talent. And I've
seen yours and you have that talent. So the creative
process to me is the most enjoyable because you get
to take and put all your work into it, You
think about it, you do a lot of things. So
what you're feeling after you've gone through the creative process,
and the work is finished, what's next, I just do
another piece? Okay, I definitely get that and totally understand.
I do the art for the enjoyment, and I do
look at the piece and see all I do look
at the piece and see for it's beauty. But to
be honest, as an artist, you kind of spend so
much time doing art that you're in the mindset of
looking at the mistakes instead of the perfections. And I
strive to find improve my Altso every time I look
my d piece, I look at all the imperfections and
try to be better as an artist. And the old
pieces in the background, I don't.
Really like he hides him. I love him.
You know, I'm very old pieces I've done about like
two or three years ago. Some of them are very
old pieces, and I can do way more better than that.
Well, I love it because that's really what you need
to be thinking. Any artist singer, doesn't matter what you do,
you always want to do better than what you did before.
When you do that, after a period of time, you
create a body of work. People can look at it.
You can look at it, you can see how you've grown,
and it's just a good thing. So you must be
really proud of him, and that's very critical.
I'm the one going out and I look at this,
Look at my boy. He's a but he's very humble
way you know, I'm the one that is just We
will walk in the shops and people recognize. I mean,
he would want to walk away my luck coming, so
can co coll Let me tell you about my boy
because I was proud.
Of absolutely great thing to say, because as parents we
want to be proud of our kids, and when they're
doing great work like Clayton is, then you've got a
reason to And being humble, that's nothing wrong with that
at all. And being critical, there's nothing wrong with that
at all.
Because I was proud of him. But Tiden is so humble,
and I think that's the one thing that's very attractive,
if I can call it that way, for him being
such a young but such a brilliant artist. But Sliden
is still so innocent, but so much and the spot
is art. Is a public speaker as well. He guys
to school's talking about bullying and talking about his journey.
And the other day he was standing in front of
two hundred and fifty females. I almost died he did.
He did so well. So he's talking about bullying and
autism and he he's just phenomenal.
I think that's just great. Anytime that anyone can get
up in front of two hundred and fifty people tell
their story, that's just inspiring and it's helping people along
the way. And you just don't know how you can
change your life.
Yeah, I think public speaking will be a good thing
to do. Talking about autism and spring the awareness of
it's going to be different than expressing how to deal
with bullies and how to appreciate yourself will be a
good thing for me to do.
That is so true, because what you're doing is not
only helping people understand what autistic people go through and
why bullying shouldn't be out there, but you're going to
inspire people to move up and try and do what
you do so they can have a better life too.
Now let's get back to your art. I fully understand
why you want to take and make sure that everything's
just perfect, and when it's done, you go back and
critique yourself and make it better. But what you're doing
is creating a body of work where it's going to
be outstanding. People won't see it but a minute, and
it's just going to empower people to really follow you
in what you do.
It's because I spend more time and the art the
most people, because as an artist, you spend about in
top Like on the one art piece I worked on today,
I spent about five hours working on the art piece,
and I spend all that time drawing it by a hand,
meaning I'm the one who's going to critique all the
little things that I'd like about it. While a person
would spend like a short period of time, like maybe
one minute looking at the piece, well, I spend way
more longer on the piece, so I see all the
imperfections and the things that I don't like about it.
So when you find something that you don't like, what
do you do?
Usually when it's like when I'm already two far in
the piece, I finish it. Then I do better with
for the next piece. But if I'm like still, if
I'm still in this sketching phase, I just erase it
and try and fix it, and then when I like it,
I just continue. So it depends how far I am
in the art piece. If I'm already too far in
the art piece, then I just deal with it, and
I'm going to like try it and fix it with
color and shaving in to try and make it better.
And then with the next piece I try to do.
So as you're improving it and you're moving forward, what's
the next step with your colors? Do that just come
to you? Or do you have to stop and think
about it? How does that part of it work for you?
So when it comes to color, there's the entire way
artists work like. There's entire like you can literally spend
two hours learning about color theory. But to be honest,
when I discovered color theory, I just threw it out
the window and didn't want to learn about it because
it was way too complicate.
It.
So what I just usually do is I pick colors,
put them together, and kind of arrange them to make
sure they can coexist with each other. I take complimentary colors,
make sure they look good together, and if they don't,
then I change it. So usually it comes naturally birth
on at change, I can just change the color.
That makes sense because when you want to take and
get into color theory and you get into all that
kind of thing, you're getting into technique, you know, and
what it really comes down to is if you have
the feeling, if you have it coming from your heart
and the passion is there, then that passion will overflow
and connect with the person that's looking at it. Kind
of like music, does you know, you just put it
together and if you've got it, you're gonna have it
technically right. But if you've got the feeling, then it
grabs the people's emotion.
Colors can depict how a person feels and how the
art feels.
Like absolutely I get that. So what is in your
future now in the next three to five years? What
kind of plans are you thinking? What would you like
to implement? How do you see your life progressing from
this point on?
So what I I do have a plan of what
I want to do in my future. One of the
things I do in my future is become an illustrative
artists and focus on that type of field with working
for game developing companies and illustrating art for the video
game characters and really create the backgrounds and illustrations for
each come for each background because I've seen with video
games they need it illustrated to really illustrate each scene
and the environment. So I really love to do that
and maybe take the clothing business and kind of make
it a bit more bigger and create factories to mass
reduce clothing, because I can see that mass producing clothing
can be really good for businesses.
So why would you want to have a factory when
you're into art.
I'd like to have a factory to give jobs to
people with autism, because giving people with autism can sometimes
struggle with certain things, So giving them the tools and
the education on how to do certain types of things
can be really good, and especially giving their jobs. Just
teach them skills on how to pack clothing and how
to box them up, and teach them certain skills for
bike accounting and how take phone calls and talk customers.
That's so admirable because you are one hundred percent correct.
People do not realize that artistic people can function and
learn and do things that everybody body else can do.
It's just one of those things for some reason, got
out there and they've got to learn more understanding about it.
So I applaud you for that. That's just a great,
great concept.
Yes, yes, you know, with any interview we have EY
said this, stop libeling our children, stop libeling these people.
I think you're so correct there, and people really have
to learn and get more understanding about artistic people and
how they live. So let's change the subject a little bit.
Earlier in the show we talked about public speaking. Let's
expand on that a little bit. How did it happen?
It started as people reaching out asking him to come
and visit schools.
Talk about this journey very true. I believe the first
one was at the High Tea event when they wanted
us to talk about bullying and talk about autism and
neurologic conditions. So I ended up going and talking to
them about that. Then my mom I thought that probably
we could do this as a full time thing because
the first time it went very well, So we just
decided to do this a full time thing.
That's great. So how many people do you average? Is
it small crowds, large crowds? How do they come out.
Between twenty five and two hundreds and fifty?
That's just so good because that amount of people, the
change that you can make for them is just outstanding,
and you just never know what can happen because of
the positive things that they're hearing.
Absolutely, and also talking to children like at schools, is
you know, you educating a.
Generalized absolutely, So Clayton, you must be really happy to
be able to get out there in front of people
and talk with them and see the changes that you
potentially could be making for other people.
I actually have a recollection of something from the past.
I remember when I was very young and I looked
up to many artists. I said to myself, one day,
when I have the opportunity, I wish to kind of
inspire other kids in the future. And it's quite crazy
to think that I'm doing it nowadays, because I remember
today when I went to the school to talk about autism.
I remember this one kid came up to me and
told me how he wanted to be an actor one day.
And I was just thinking to myself, how amazing would
it be one day if he's a famous actor and
just being able to attend one of his shows. It's like,
how amazing would that be?
That would be truly amazing. The great part about that
is it's possible. Anything's possible. You could be talking in
front of people that could be the next Einstein, the
next whoever you want to think, you know, actor, actress, anything.
The biggest part about that is that you're out there
speaking to these people, engaging with them, showing them that
they do have have opportunities, and it lies in front
of them, and anything can happen if you just try.
It's kind of like life is like you're walking through cement.
If you stay still for too long, the cement will
dry up and it will stop you from moving. In life,
you just keep on moving forward, otherwise you're just gonna
be stuck in the cement for the rest of your life.
That's a great analogy. I really like that because that's
what we all have to do. We have to just
keep moving, keep throwing anything we can to give us
a chance to succeed in.
Life and life. All great things take time. It takes effort,
tons of time to get the things you want in life.
That's why for now I'm investing my time into becoming
a better artist, so in the future I can one
day choose any job by month as an artist.
As you should. You've got a lot of potential. I
love what you're doing. Your artist is just superb. You
put a lot of effort into it, which anybody can
see once they start checking you out, and your quality
is good because you take the time to do it right.
So what would you like to tell people that don't
know much about autism and they just trying to figure
things out themselves with people that are around them, get
with some of your thoughts that you'd like to share.
What I want to say is when people ask a
question of what do I do with my head with autism,
the one answer I think should be given is give
them a safe place to be, And because when you
have autism, the most important place is your safe place.
Like I've seen this one video where this kid had
extreme autism, so he's grandfather built him like a little
Hobbits house home to live in with like a bed
and when you close it, they had like a little
interior with little shelves and it was his safe That's awesome.
I think that's what people need to hear because everyone
wants to feel safe and they want to feel like
they're living in a place where they don't have any
problems and they can have support from family, whether it's
artistic or not. So I think that's a very very
good point.
But so if autism is born with a different mental
capacity than everyone else, it doesn't really make them disabled
because people of autism can still do really great things.
Great to think than other people. If you look at
Albert Einstein, he is known as the most cleverest men
on the earth, but he was born for autism. He
was a person that had signs of autism and he's
a genius. And the interesting thing about Albert Einstein is
he hated school so much like no jokes, he've reballanced school.
Absolutely, I've heard that. So this has been a very
good conversation. We've covered a lot of great things. So
let's get to your website and your YouTube so that
people can reach out in get to know you more
and follow you and hopefully buy some of your merchandise.
So we do have a website. It's w w W
dot Clidence c l i y d e in ins
Designs d e is I g n as dot com.
That is our international website. And then he's on Facebook
and Instagram also Clidence Designs. Now that his name is
sometimes very difficult to c l i y d e
in Inns design So.
Let's mention the YouTube channel with I'm still busy waycoming
YouTube channel that there's gonna be videos coming soon.
Okay, well, let's have your YouTube channel now. Then that
way people can follow you on you on YouTube as well.
Clayton's World, that's Claydon's world, correct, it's Clidence.
World, Yes, Claden's world because it's it's his world, you know,
Clids designs, it's all the cloudy business we have. And
Clidence World is he's fought his world, his story, his journey.
It's like my own personal channels because because the thing
is personal content is very appealing to people, and people
on YouTube more invested into gain to know you on
the platform instead of getting to know your business. So
people are really invested into YouTube because of how many
personal content that is and for the entertainment.
Aspect, absolutely, and I really think because of your story
and what you're doing, I think there's going to be
a lot of people that's going to follow you and
want to get to know you exactly.
Yes, And I think also a big thing is just
to give help as well, you know, to give help
when when people see Clide and the many parents will
researt you don't understand how much I help you give
us every day just to see Glide and see he's
with us, and that's very important.
It sure is. And again I've got to say, great
conversation and thanks for coming on. I really appreciate you
taking your time to be on my show.
Oh, thank you for having me.
Yeah, it's really cool. Thank you.
Yes, it has been very cool, and thank you again.
Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedule
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