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12-year-old with Down syndrome displaying artwork at Norway exhibit

Colby Martel is showing the art world his stunning work, which he has been creating since he was a toddler.

NORWAY, Maine — The Western Maine Art Group spring art exhibit is opening its doors Friday night, and one of the artists on display is a 12-year-old boy with Down syndrome.

Colby Martel is showing the art world his stunning work, which he has been creating since he was a toddler.

"He's always on the go, constantly creating and working on new pieces," Colby's mother, Aranka Matolcsy, said.

Peter Hurley, a local artist, met Colby five years ago after seeing his artwork on his mom's Facebook page. Hurley said he was impressed by Colby's ability to extract details from his surroundings better than most artists.

The two of them have since become a duo.

Together, they have expanded Colby's artistic repertoire to include other mediums such as woodwork, digital art, and even body painting. 

As a result, Colby is also developing academically, using his words to pick out colors, and when focusing on his art, he becomes calm and content.

Colby's mom hopes that his artwork will help elevate the needs of people with special needs in Norway and beyond.

"Colby tells me he's proud of himself, which makes me overjoyed," Matolcsy said.

Despite his limits, Colby is showing the world that creativity knows no bounds and is possible for people with all abilities.

His inspirational artwork will be on display at the exhibit for the next month at the Western Maine Art Group.

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