UEHS Class of 2019 graduate Jimmy Dutcher, son of James and Lisa Dutcher, proves that finding your path doesn’t always follow a straight line. Like many students after high school, Jimmy took time to discover what direction felt right. For Jimmy, who is autistic, that journey led him to art, and to unexpected success as a working artist.
Jimmy has always enjoyed being creative, so when his mother, Lisa, received an email from an 
autism organization about a local glass-fusion art class hosted by Jablon Studios, she thought it could be a good fit. Staying busy, keeping his mind engaged, and remaining active are important for Jimmy in managing his autism, and art provides a meaningful way to do all three.
What started as a simple class quickly turned into something much bigger. During his very first session, Jimmy created two glass-fusion Christmas ornaments. One of them sold to a gallery customer that same day. Emily Jablon, owner of Jablon Studios, held additional classes, which Jimmy happily attended and created more pieces.
At his second session, Jimmy made 10 additional glass-fusion ornaments in just two hours for a 
holiday art sale hosted by Jablon Studios and Bull Thistle Art Studio & Gallery. All 10 quickly sold, he then created more pieces, all selling out within a day or two. A total of 40 of his beautiful glass-fusion ornaments sold out! Jimmy currently has pre-orders for at least eight more glass snowmen ornaments, which he will be completing soon.
With the holidays behind him, Jimmy will start working on new pieces for Valentine’s Day and looking ahead to future projects. His creativity continues to grow, and so do the opportunities in front of him.
Lisa says this experience has been incredibly meaningful for her son. “His art gives us insight to his thoughts, and how he sees the world around him. His verbal skills are limited, so his voice can be heard through his creations,” she said.
And when Jimmy isn’t creating glass-fusion pieces, he’s enjoying the rewards of his hard work. His artist paycheck goes toward one of his favorite hobbies…Lego sets.
We are proud to spotlight Jimmy and look forward to seeing more of his artwork in the future.