Meet Jono
Jonathan ‘Jono’ Orphan
Jono is an autistic artist who has learning disabilities and communicates non-verbally.
He is our very first Hopeful Futures artist!
He has a fondness for orange peels, tigers, ABBA and he expresses himself through dancing and painting.
Guided by his support workers, he chooses colours that he likes, dips his hands in paint, and creates handprints on paper. Jono builds up layers using paint and sand at times, including brushstrokes and blending colours. Each layer is allowed to dry before returning to enhance his artwork with even more colour and texture.
The result is a collection of abstract, expressive, bold, colourful, organic and energetic pieces!
Our Mission:
To create opportunities for autistic people, those with learning disabilities and their families, to thrive within local communities.
Here is a candid snap of Jono as he takes in his own artwork, displayed as part of a public art exhibition in April 2026.
This image is very significant to us. It is a moment in time that depicts so much of what we aspire to be.
Our mission is… “To create opportunities for autistic people, those with learning disabilities and their families, to thrive within local communities.”
We chose the word ‘THRIVE‘ carefully. You see, we aren’t satisfied with mere survival. We believe, with the right support, that Jono, and people like him, can live a meaningful, rich and purposeful life.
Jono is an artist, through his art he expresses himself. He creates beauty that we can all enjoy.
This photograph captures a moment where Jono can feel his impact on the world around him. He is seeing both his own artwork, displayed proudly for others to enjoy and he is also able to see himself from a whole different perspective.
Shop Jono’s Art
Support Jono’s journey and Hopeful Futures by purchasing from our range of products featuring a curated selection of Jono’s artwork.
All proceeds of our sales are split equally between our artists (in this case Jono) and our organisation, funding our projects and helping us to continue the work we do.
Contact us…
