 | | Josh exhibits his work at a Birmingham gallery |
Joshua Whitehouse has just turned 13 and has an incredible gift for art. Joshua has Asperger's Syndrome and is classed as a 'Rainman' or 'Savant', which means he has a rare aspect of autism and is extraordinarily talented in a particular area. He may have difficulties communicating, but Joshua's world comes alive through his artwork. His intricate, detailed drawings have found fans worldwide and now sell for over £400 a piece. Famous owners of Josh's art include Pop Idol judge Pete Waterman, Mo Mowlam, Rolf Harris, BBC WM's Carl Chinn, and even Her Majesty the Queen. Devoted parents Stephen and Fiona Whitehouse, nurture Josh's talent and helped to organise a surprise exhibition at Number Nine the Gallery in Birmingham. Fiona said;  | | Mum Fiona watches Josh draw |
"Josh loves seeing his work exhibited. I hope he can be recognised as an artist in his own right - not just locally but internationally. He's rare. He's bright and articulate and his work is full of humour and very intricate." It's fascinating to watch Joshua work, within minutes a sheet of paper is filled with intricate and emotive line drawings. Josh happily works with a crowd around him, questioning and chatting to him - in fact, Josh prefers to work with the sounds of Led Zeppelin blasting out around him. "There's no one like him in the world", says mum Fiona, "Josh broke the mould, everyone who meets him says he's an inspiration." Take a look at Joshua's new collection of art | 
