Looking Forward by Jam Corfield

For a long time, my biggest fear was being different.

Growing up in Brisbane, I worried that I didn’t fit in with my peers. When I was diagnosed as autistic in Year 4, that fear became a reality. I was told I might never be able to live on my own or have a job. It crushed what little confidence I had. Over the following years, more diagnoses followed, and for a while, I lost belief in myself.

Looking Forward is a portrait of self-acceptance. It represents the disconnect I felt as a child, but also the journey I’ve taken to understand that my differences don’t make me lesser. They make me who I am. The painting contrasts two sides of myself with one looking back in muted tones, and one looking ahead, more complete and honest. This portrait is about healing. It’s a reminder that self-worth isn’t defined by diagnosis, but by the way we choose to keep going.