Cousin Brenton was diagnosed with a form of Autism many years ago when not much was known about this condition, and could not attend main-stream school, but he developed several above-average self-taught skills, some of which I'd like to share with you.
This is an exceptional church model that my talented young cousin designed and built using scrap English deal wood and pine wood; both soft woods.
The ancient Christian style cross sits proudly atop the roof apex, complete with a church bell.
Psychologists back in the day painted a very dark picture and also told his parents that he would never be able to read and write; this special young man however proved them otherwise!
I will let his father tell the story in his own words:
We as parents are blessed and privileged to be of witness to some of our son's achievements despite unimaginable challenges, great and small, from various authorities and child psychologists.
His career of self-education started 36 years ago at the tender age of 7 next to me, at the carpenter's work bench.
Since then he has proven himself as expert in...
- Woodwork, fine or rough;
- Electrical self-help and installations as per his own sketches;
- Auto mechanics as per social media self-help;
- Excellent auto body repairs as well as spray work with high pressure equipment.
- Reading and writing!
- Budgeting for his own needs from a government disability grant.
Side view of church with beautiful arched windows.
I feel Brenton's work is way too beautiful not to share with my friends here on Hive, and to my way of thinking this project in particular is apt for the Architecture and Design Community, as it's a model of a church building with all the furnishings made to perfect scale in relation to the building size.
View from the other side.
The height from the base to the roof apex is 840mm; the length of one side of the building is 825mm and the total front width is 670mm.
Therefore this little church actually is not so small and is quite a weight with all the furnishings inside so takes two men to lift it.
Let's open the doors to the church and see what's inside...
Note the ceiling with rafters and hanging cross, pews and altar in front
Altar with candlesticks, table with Bible stand and pulpit
First Church pew complete with rough sketch giving dimensions.
Another rough sketch with building dimensions.
Church still incomplete at this stage
Door leading to vestry with organ upstairs.
Finally, I'd like to share Brenton's prayer and motivation for building this church model...in his own writing and words.
Brenton and his parents are the perfect example of determination and faith and not simply accepting the educated naysayers by getting on with life and bringing out the hidden talents that they saw in this very special intuitive young man.
I further hope to share more of my very special young cousin's other carpentry gems, like a garden pergola model which is an exact replica of a pergola he had built when they were living in a historical house in the Karoo in the Cape Province.
All photos taken by Brenton and earnings from this blog will be passed onto him.
Note the hues of the wood differs in many of the photos as they were taken at different times with varying light intensity conditions.
Brenton at home with his other passion, a model car collection in the background.
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