PENARTH man Mark Annis - who says his life has been blighted by Asperger's syndrome - has overcome the condition to prove himself a successful artist.

45-year-old Mark - a self-taught artist who started to take his work seriously about 16 years ago - currently has three exhibitions running, at Cardiff's Europa Caf and Tapas Bar and at the Old Town Hall in Barry.

Mark, who specialises in figurative and abstract painting revolving around bright primary colours, was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome at the age of four.

Mark said: "Asperger's makes social interaction difficult for sufferers.

"We are often unable to interpret the meaning behind what people say.

"We find it hard to read hidden social codes such as body language and we can say things that other people find strange.

"Making friends and developing intimate relationships can often also be very difficult.

"I think there is still a lack of awareness about the condition and because of that, we suffer prejudice."

Mark says he has read best-selling novel The Curious Incident, by Mark Haddon, which deals with Asperger's syndrome.

He said: "There was quite a bit in the novel which I could identify with.

"Asperger's sufferers do develop obsessions - mine is art, though, not numbers."

Mark - who now also sells prints of his work - says he is influenced by Picasso, Salvador Dali and Andy Warhol.

To find out more about Mark Annis' work, visit www.anniscreations.com Asperger's syndrome is one of a range of autism-like disorders which often manifests in 'eccentric' behaviour rather than pronounced and obvious disability.

It was first identified as a separate condition in 1944 by a German doctor, Hans Asperger.