AUTISTIC ARTIST’S AMAZING DRAWINGS STUN DARTS CHAMP
Michael van Gerwen promoting talented Chris and his incredible photorealistic work
AYOUNG artist with autism who produces stunning photo-realistic pencil drawings has developed an unlikely partnership with the world’s number one darts player Michael van Gerwen.
Chris Baker, 20, from Cardiff is about to see his work featured in the major new Wales Millennium Centre (WMC) project Tiger Bay Tales – capturing the memories, tales and recollections of the people of the area.
Chris was introduced to the Dutch darts champion after mum Sam, 43, contacted his manager Jason Thame with a drawing her son had done of Michael.
He was appearing in an exhibition match at Cardiff music and arts venue the Tramshed last February, when Sam got in touch.
She said: “I sent him a back story on Chris and a scan of the portraits he had drawn of Michael and asked would there would be an opportunity for him to show Michael his portrait.
“(With) what came back I was amazed – within half an hour I had an email telling us he could make that happen and to be at the Tramshed for 5.30pm and that he would be met by referee George Noble.”
Michael arranged VIP treatment on the night for Chris and his mum be- fore commissioning a private work capturing him with his wife Daphne Govers on holiday, from an image on his phone.
Chris always works from photographs to produce his drawings, as his autism means he would struggle with the social aspect of having someone pose for him.
He gave the completed piece to the darts champion in May and Michael was stunned by the detail in the work.
Sam said her son is on the way to being able to make a living from his art work.
“It’s growing steadily and there’s the potential for it to grow even more,” she said.
Michael is now promoting Chris on his website to sell 100 limited edition prints of the artist’s original piece showing the player in action.
He described the artist’s work as “amazing”.
He said: “I met Chris in February this year and his artwork is really very special. I commissioned him to draw an image of me and it is amazing.”
For the WMC project Chris has drawn four high-profile Tiger Bay personalities – Betty Campbell, Vernester Cyril, Charlotte Williams and Geraldine Trotman.
The women have made key contributions to advance ethnic minorities in Wales.
A time-lapse video was made of Chris completing his drawing of Geraldine and this is set to feature in the WMC project.
Chris originally did three of the portraits for Black History Month, but these have now been incorporated into Tiger Bay Tales.
The project will see blue plaques erected around Cardiff Bay recounting the area’s history and diversity.
Chris has also captured stars of the screen, including Benedict Cumberbatch and Sir Ian McKellen in his detailed drawings
He is inspired by his favourite music, TV shows and films.
Chis has difficulty speaking to people because of his condition, and dropped out of school at the age of 14 after struggling to cope.
Sam and husband Stewart, 44, noticed their son’s aptitude for art from a young age.
Creating the pictures in great detail takes Chris many hours. His longest, an A4 original of Jax Teller from TV series Sons of Anarchy, took him 40 hours.