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Showcasing S.L.A. Creations

Welcome to my world of art!

Press to see my work

Showcasing S.L.A. Creations

Welcome to my world of art!

Press to see my work

My Background

My Inspiration

My Background

Who is Susie? Susie is the 13-year-old artist under the label, Susie Leanne Altenbach (SLA) Creations. Susie is Autistic. Growing up in Mammoth Lakes, she was in an area made for exploration, adventure, and isolation. Before Susie was diagnosed with Autism, we watched her reach every difficult milestone. She even surpassed expected knowledge and abilities. Susie became obsessed with certain objects and gathering items. She would scribble and eventually draw characters. One day at 2 ½ years old, Susie stopped talking. She communicated, but there was so much screaming. It was as if she would scream due to her inability to speak in complete sentences, and she was certain we did not understand her. My mother noticed she was very drawn to art. Working on this premise Gretchen Blossom and Sara Seely gave her of daily exposure to art, sensory activities, and more, Susie’s love for art grew. We called on Strive Behavioral, and in our home Kelly and Sabrina started working and teaching Susie and our family how to communicate with each other. Then one day, years into our lives in Mammoth Lakes . . . she spoke. Susie was using full sentences! She was clearly taking in everything. Susie had become a truly good natured person and had so many traits of those teachers, coaches, and family members we had entrusted her to.

We would like to thank Nikki Lee for the many wonderful years of coaching and love. It is Nikki that has given Susie the opportunity to show her art at Stellar Brew. Thank you, Nikki and Stellar Brew!

There were so many people who pulled together to help Susie come out of her shell. Thanks to local people and programs, Susie was given unlimited access to all the adventures the mountain setting provided. Loved by her teachers Susie grew intellectually. Encouraged by her coaches at Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra Susie kayaked, group camped, swam, hiked, biked (long distances), Alpine Skied, Cross Country Skied, rode horses, and so much more! All of these things in combination with a loving home gave Susie the ability to release and express on paper. Art became Susie’s way to communicate with everyone.

Our family (Maria, Grandma Margie, and Papa Tom), Gretchen Blossom and Sara Seely (early childhood teachers), Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra - Kathy Copeland’s DSES (provided one-on-one superior coaching for all her physical activities), Kelly Wedberg and Sabrina M. (Strive Behavioral ABA specialist), Freedom In Motion Therapeutic Horse-Riding Ranch (Carol Archuleta), and Laurel Martin (one-on-one swim instructor for people with special abilities). There are so many people not listed that we extend our greatest thanks to. We are blessed by all of the love, care, coaching, and support of our Mammoth Lakes family and friends.

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My Medium

My Inspiration

My Background

We are now doing digital!

I use pencil, colored pencils, markers, Sharpies, acrylic paints, acrylic markers, and water based pens. I enjoy painting on canvas, art paper, mixed medium paper, construction paper and/or anything available to create my art. I do my best to bring to life my ideas so that you can see what I am thinking. This is how I communicate some of my feelings.

My Inspiration

I am inspired by everything around me. I get wonderful ideas from what I read. I enjoy drawing and painting projects, since I love all kinds of art and crafts!

This is the autobiography Susie wrote for you: My name is Susie. I moved to Mammoth Lakes when I was two and a half. When I moved to Mammoth, I couldn’t speak. It was hard for me t

I am inspired by everything around me. I get wonderful ideas from what I read. I enjoy drawing and painting projects, since I love all kinds of art and crafts!

This is the autobiography Susie wrote for you: My name is Susie. I moved to Mammoth Lakes when I was two and a half. When I moved to Mammoth, I couldn’t speak. It was hard for me to communicate with my peers at school and understand the real world. My mom and grandparents got me the help I needed and put me in activities like skiing and biking. When my mom found out about my Autism, she put me into a program called First Five. At First Five, I met Gretchen Blossom. Gretchen Blossom taught me how to speak again and gave me the freedom to express emotions that I couldn’t express before. She was always calm when I had breakdowns and when I was uncontrollable and made me calm and smile when nothing else would. I also had the opportunity of getting ABA therapy to understand social interactions, and how to do things independently. That’s when I met Kelly Wedberg and other therapists that had an impact on how I dealt with my educational and personal life. I was so lucky to have access to Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra and the coaches that took me out while I SCREAMED, sometimes for the entire lessons (eventually, I stopped and it was a blast): alpine skiing, cross country skiing, camping, hiking, kayaking, running, and biking, all while facing my fears. - Susie

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How did we know I was autistic?

The Magic wand. . .

I was on track to hit every milestone. I even jumped ahead. There were signs, signs that looked like "age appropriate behavior." One day, I just stopped talking in full sentences. I started spinning in circles, flapping my hands, squealing, screaming, speaking in movie phrases, repeating words excessively, and avoiding eye contact. As I progressively lost my physical ability to speak, I would twirl this magic wand in my fingers. I could not be interrupted, I was obsessed. I piled things and no longer wanted hugs or praises. I had gone into my head somewhere.

Finding the exact Wand I could not live without.

One day, my first and only magic wand broke. I was so afraid without it. I needed it, it brought me peace. I had to pinch and roll it in my fingers obsessively. I was not able to do anything because the wand was my obsession! My mother bought wand after wand but none were the exact feel that I so desperately needed. She called the pumpkin patch where my first wand was given to me by the Pumpkin Fairy. It was Christmas, so it seemed impossible! The staff at the pumpkin patch heard of my dilemma and they searched through the October merchandise and called my mom so I could meet Santa. I was given 5 new wands. It was a miracle! Years later, my mother told me of the wand search my Grandma Margie had taken on. Store to store she searched. Finally, finding my magic wands online, just in time. My Christmas wands were worn out.

I have been blessed with a supportive family: My Mom, Grandma Margie, and papa Tom.

My mother is so devoted to helping me in anything that I do. She believes in me. She is funny and smart. She brings me the structure I need to push through moments I feel I cannot handle. She transported me to many therapy sessions, outdoor events, appointments, and she never left my side. She has taught me how to be as social as I can be. My grandparents are my foundation. My grandma taught me sewing, baking, and worked on many art projects with me. My grandparents would take my camping. Papa took me hiking, biking ,and exploring.

Early intervention, love, continuity, and support brought me back from the place I where was trapped in my mind. I am grateful for everything.

Showcasing S.L.A. Creations

Showcasing S.L.A. Creations

Welcome

My Background

My Inspiration

My Background

My Medium

My Inspiration

My Background

My Inspiration

My Inspiration

My Inspiration

Growth, confidence, exposure to many outdoor activities!

What did Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra do for me?

pictures of people AND PLACES I love. This is where i find my inspiration. who am i? These photos will give you a better picture.

How did we know I was autistic?

The Magic wand. . .

Finding the exact Wand I could not live without.

I have been blessed with a supportive family: My Mom, Grandma Margie, and papa Tom.

Thank you for being there for me, mom.

Mother’s Day for my mommy

Subscribe

Showcasing S.L.A. Creations

Showcasing S.L.A. Creations

Welcome

My Background

My Inspiration

My Background

My Medium

My Inspiration

My Background

My Inspiration

My Inspiration

My Inspiration

Growth, confidence, exposure to many outdoor activities!

What did Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra do for me?

pictures of people AND PLACES I love. This is where i find my inspiration. who am i? These photos will give you a better picture.

How did we know I was autistic?

The Magic wand. . .

Finding the exact Wand I could not live without.

I have been blessed with a supportive family: My Mom, Grandma Margie, and papa Tom.

Thank you for being there for me, mom.

Mother’s Day for my mommy

Subscribe

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