WICHITA, Kan. _ What if your lips were made of chocolate?
What if toothpaste tasted like chocolate?
These are the questions 19-year-old Cole Bullock ponders in the children's book he and his mother are creating.
"It's about a kid who imagines what everything would be like if everything tasted like chocolate," Bullock said.
The book is still a work in progress as Bullock's mom, Gina Bullock, writes the story and Cole Bullock draws the illustrations.
"We're a team," Gina Bullock said. "The whole reason behind the book is for him to get his art out there."
When Cole Bullock was 5, he was diagnosed with a high-functioning form of autism. His mom felt that his art was the best way to create a career for him.
Gina Bullock first noticed her son's talent when he drew a three-dimensional coffee cup using sidewalk chalk. He was 2 at the time.
During the past few years, he has experimented with different types of art, such as drawing Disney characters, cutting out intricate snowflakes and calligraphy.
"He's always shown a great flair for art and talent," said Helen Bullock, Cole Bullock's grandmother. "He's just got it inborn in him."
During his senior year at Wichita East High School, he discovered a new medium for art _ oil pastels.
"When I was in art class, I drew an apple," Cole Bullock said. "We were, like, watching on a screen how to draw it, and I found it kind of easy once I get used to it."
The drawing of the apple later won him an award at school.
The gooey, crayon-like oil pastels are easy to smear and blend. When Cole Bullock draws with the pastels, he uses his fingers to mix the colors, creating works similar to impressionist art.
The excess paste on his fingers usually winds up on his clothes.
His teachers noticed he had an eye for color and an ability to mix colors.
"It's tedious, but he'll take a lot of time getting the color right," Gina Bullock said. "You can kind of tell, color's his thing."
Cole Bullock recently drew an angel for a mother who lost her children to domestic violence. When friends and family saw his work, they began requesting artwork as well.
His most popular works are his drawings of the University of Kansas Jayhawk and Wichita State's WuShock.
His mom recently started a Facebook page to showcase his art: www.facebook.com/ColeBullockArt.
"People know he can draw and appreciate what he does," Gina Bullock said. "He's got kind of a little fan club of past teachers and kids that he went to high school with and grade school, and he's very well loved by people that know him."
Every finished project is a stepping stone for Cole and Gina Bullock. They usually celebrate by hitting up a restaurant or any place that serves his favorite dessert: ice cream.
Next up for Cole is an art class at WSU in the spring. Like most students his age, he is looking forward to making new friends at college.
"It's hard for kids with autism to make friends; that's one of the main reasons he wants to go to WSU," Gina Bullock said. "He wants to meet people his age."
Gina Bullock is hoping they can get their book published. Through the colorful pictures on the page, her son can showcase his art and turn it into an occupation for himself.
"I just knew I didn't want him to just be in some job, you know, like sacking groceries when he has this great gift," Gina Bullock said. "He's a great kid, and I think he just makes everybody really happy."
