Richard Wawro

Richard Wawro (1952-2006) was a Scottish artist and one of only 25 recognised prodigious savants in the world during his lifetime. Richard developed his art well beyond the constrictions of his autism and over his lifetime he created more than 4,000 drawings in his chosen medium of wax crayons. With these he produced exceedingly detailed, dramatic images of intense depth and colour - a feat that is remarkable given that his eyesight was so poor that he was considered technically blind. Richard’s art has been celebrated around the globe, with notable collectors including Lady Margaret Thatcher and Pope John Paul II. Richard Wawro (pronounced Vavro) was born on April 14th, 1952, in Newport-on-Tay, Scotland. His father, Tadeusz, was one of many Polish army officers who settled in Scotland after the war. His mother Olive, a primary school teacher, was from a farming community in Galloway. Richard's early years were difficult and painful as a result of his congenital disabilities. Between bouts of disturbed behaviour he would often pause to stare at sources of light, deriving most pleasure from staring directly at the sun. Strongly repetitive actions such as striking the same note on the piano for hours at a time and spinning household objects were typical characteristics of his autism. However, at the time autism had not been defined as a condition and he was diagnosed as "severely mentally handicapped". Richard’s mother, undeterred by the many rejections from authorities, sought tirelessly to secure a meaningful education for her son. This unyielding devotion, combined with his father’s constant support, provided the nurturing environment that would eventually allow Richard’s genius to emerge. Richard’s restless and repetitive behaviour and lack of speech made it difficult for his parents to find an educational environment suited to his needs. At six years old, his mother brought him to Molly Leishman, a special needs teacher known for her willingness to work with children who had been deemed too challenging by other schools. Mrs. Leishman was determined to find activities that would capture Richard’s interest. Noticing his fascination with light and reflections, she introduced him to wax crayons: the medium he would continue to work in for the rest of his life. Initially, his drawings were simple scribbles, much like those of his peers. But soon, something remarkable occurred: his scribbles began to evolve into recognisable images, marked by an unexpected level of detail and sophistication. Recognising the brilliance in his work, Mrs. Leishman was amazed. She recalled later the excitement of seeing his first drawing emerge. "What I saw was magic. It was impressionism and I couldn't believe my eyes," she said. Without disclosing his autism, she sought professional opinions on his drawings and was thrilled when her instincts were confirmed: Richard possessed a rare gift, far surpassing that of a typical child. As Richard grew up, it was evident that the more he drew, the more settled he became. He had practically no speech at that time and he used to draw to communicate. He would draw anything within his daily experience; what he had for breakfast, the school bus and the cartoons that he saw on television. Though Richard’s parents were delighted that his drawings were now permanent, his frenetic output meant that they struggled to provide enough paper to stop him drawing on wallpaper when he ran out. Visitors to the Wawro household were entertained by perfectly drawn cartoons of Huckleberry Hound and Yogi Bear on the walls throughout the house. The problem was solved by his father, a civil engineer, bringing discarded technical drawings back to the house so that Richard could draw on the back of them. His breakthrough came in 1970 when Richard Demarco, the Edinburgh impresario, "discovered" him and exhibited his works in his gallery. National interest followed when his story was told by the BBC on its flagship Nationwide