Austin Wear lives in King George, Virginia.  He is a 25-year-old artist who designs and creates original jewelry.  

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Notably, he is diagnosed with Class 3 (greatly affected) autism, mild/moderate intellectual disability, anxiety disorder, and clinically diagnosed obsessive-compulsive disorder. Many of his behaviors have improved in the past few years and a professional may classify him as between Class 3 and 2.

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Austin demonstrated a creative mind very early. He enjoys drawing and has a very distinct and consistent style.  Solving math problems is a hobby he greatly enjoys.  He also loves music.  Classic video games are a leisure activity, he is most interested in older Nintendo Game Cube and the even more dated Nintendo 64!  He is always ready for an intense rollercoaster.  He attends day support that allows him interaction with peers and daily outings with very patient and devoted staff.  

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Austin requires extensive support for activities of daily living.  He lacks safety awareness and must always be supervised.  He is verbal but very often uses rote language,  which works in some situations but does not provide accurate communication which can be problematic.  He relies on routines.  A clinical diagnosis of OCD is easily observed when he is anxious as his obsessional thoughts and compulsive behaviors consume him. Many of Austin's OCD rituals involve frequent counting, sequencing, using codes he developed, and rituals he feels he must perform.   His self-injurious behaviors have decreased as he has aged.  He actively attempts to control the behavior.  Still, on occasion, he simply cannot.   I credit his improved behavior to providers who work with him now and those who provided support for  many years prior.

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He has a few splinter skills including long-term memory for dates, especially birthdays and events. He has a perpetual mental calendar: given a random date, he can immediately determine its day of the week.  Beading is not a splinter skill, but one he learned quickly. Although he scored very low with fine motor skills, in 2016 when Austin was introduced to beading, he immediately took to this new activity.  He now demonstrates fine motor skills that are truly amazing:  he is able to hold a 4mm bead and string a very small wire.  He can easily use floppy elastic cord as thin as .5 mm.  Often his hands are very shaky due to the medications he takes.  This is accomplished through pure DETERMINATION.

 

 

Creating beaded jewelry is also a strong factor that has improved his social and behavioral improvement.  Austin continues to struggle socially, but his jewelry gives a topic for conversation and the interaction is not contrived.  He receives praise for what he does instead of having successful communication.  Some will understand this and others will not. His work is typically given compliments and he feels proud.  He does not have the ability to have regular employment even with assistance. Making jewelry allows him the feeling of purpose and pride in his work. He is contributing to society by donating a portion of jewelry sales (not profit; sale price) to organizations that help him and others like him. This, along with knowing his customers are happy, gives him purpose.

 

​Austin was introduced to making beaded bracelets in January 2016. He immediately loved the new activity and was encouraged by his Positive Behavior Support consultant and aunt.  It is a purposeful outlet for his OCD thoughts and behaviors of counting and developing patterns.  He can engage in his compulsive behaviors that include counting in a purposeful way.  He is further motivated by the praise he receives and delights in giving jewelry as gifts.

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 Austin is calm and focused when beading.  With a decrease in anxiety and frustration, his undesired behaviors and self-injury have drastically decreased.  When beading his reliance on routine is much less because he is in control.  He decides when to take breaks and when to stop. The work area is designed with consideration for "Austin-specific" strategies that continue to be developed by specialists., as well as what Austin decides and suggestions from mom. 

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Austin's jewelry has opened opportunities for positive social interactions.  He enjoys participating in social media. He has an active Facebook page and his latest designs are often posted on Instagram.  He delights in the praise and "likes" he receives from social platforms. He gives "likes" to projects and makes short comments, which often receive a reply.​

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In 2019 Austin's mother, Leigh Wear, founded Austin's WearABLE Art.  Having a small business allowed better management of requests for Austin's jewelry. We are a hobby business.  Mom ,aka  Leigh, has a larger vision for the business that will allow others with disabilities who will not be gainfully employed a chance to experience success and purpose with an activity they enjoy.  This is not an overnight process, especially given the many wild cards we have been dealt since our founding.

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Austin's jewelry sales help fund his beading therapy/hobby/joy and build his self-esteem. Plus, his customers receive beautiful WearABLE Art.  The legal business name remains Austin's WearABLE Art.  Focus groups have suggested it be shortened to Austin's WearABLEs.  We own that domain and a web search will take you to the same website.  It is an extensive process to change the name.  Circumstances have not allowed that pursuit, but it will eventually change. As a hobby business, we try to recover the cost of supplies.

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A minimum of 10% of Austin's jewelry sales are donated to non-profit organizations.  We believe it is essential to recognize and support groups that strive to aid people with disabilities.  Austin has benefited personally from the services of many organizations.

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Fidgets-n-Fun : In 2021 we began selling classic and trending fidgets.  Our best-seller is our initial product "My Go Bag" inspired by the one Austin has used for years. Since then, we have added many products with an extended line soon to be offered.   "Austin's Fidgets-n-Fun" helps purchase jewelry-making supplies and support business operations.  The collections have become very popular as birthday gifts.

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​ We have a 100% happiness guarantee.  If you are unsatisfied with your purchase, we will make it right.  Always expect great customer service, respect, and gratitude. The goal is superb products and services along with helping others. This will make Austin's WearABLEs most successful. 

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