Student Turns Passion for Art Into a Vocation

 

LAKELAND — Ian Millican's voice may be softened by autism, but his art speaks volumes. The work is intensely colorful and full of whimsy.

"It is the path he uses to articulate feelings that are hard to express," his mother, Terry Millican, explains.

Ian is crafting his artistic flair into a thriving business, and learning to use his talents for more than just an emotional outlet. With the help of caring parents and partners such as Florida's Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD), he's been in training to turn his love of art into his own small business, Ian's ArTs.

As an entrepreneur in the Start-Up-Florida project, Millican received assistance in discovering his professional strengths and completing his business plan. He puts his designs on T-shirts and other display items. His artwork is on shirts in Florida schools and church organizations. An Ian's ArTs Web site is in the making and due out soon.

October is Disability Employment Awareness Month. APD is highlighting the contributions of Millican and others with disabilities to the work force.

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