Sat. May 19 & Sun. May 20

Steve Morse is a friend and former colleague of mine at the Boston Globe. We've done time in the trenches; we knocked back a few at bars. It's fair to say we've both had good times and bad and Steve suffered through the death of his wife Nell some years back. And their only son Nick Morse, has autism. But Nick's an artist and he has an exhibit up at Cambridge Arts Councils' Open Studios Saturday May 19 and Sunday May 20, noon to 6. . I asked Steve to send some jpgs of Nick's art - one of which you see here - and it's pretty darn cool.
     Steve e-mailed: "Nick is my only child -- he's now 22 -- and he has been diagnosed as being 'on the autistic spectrum,' which is a heavy burden to carry these days. But the beauty of Nick is that he has never let it stop him. He has discovered an ability to paint only in the last few years, but has displayed a striking originality. He does abstracts, often with bright colors. He had a show up at ZuZu last year, the title of which was  "The Magic of Color.'' Nick is an original -- and he will surprise people before he's through. He has had a tough life -- he was born with mild cerebral palsy and his mother died of diabetes when he was 12 -- but he has found stability and balance at the Cardinal Cushing School in Hanover. He has been tutored there by art teacher Randy Wiskow, a 25-year veteran who curated Nick's show and has been the key catalyst in boosting Nick's confidence and self-expression. Nick has had many struggles in his life -- he's also been diagnosed with A.D.H.D. P.D.D., O.C.D and just about anything else a shrink can throw at him, but his innocence and his unique artistic vision will be apparent to anyone who sees this, Nick has had an extraordinary journey and has touched many, many people along the way."

 "Nick has been on a roll lately," Steve says. "He had two recent Long Island exhibits for www.Aweinautism.org , one at Glenwood Arts, the other at Great Neck Arts Center. New paintings and T-shirts for sale."

95 Harvey St., Cambridge, 617-349-3980 www.cambridgema.gov