RYAN DU PUIS

As with most of the special needs community, Ryan's early experience with art was as a form of therapy. That therapy changed everything! It opened up a whole new world for him, a new way for him to express himself. It wasn't dependent on his speech, his reading skills or cognitive ability. It allowed him to communicate his emotions and his joy in life. It set his heart and soul free to fly! His paintings are all about movement, light and color. They evoke feelings of freedom and joy. Everyone in his family has at least one of his paintings displayed in their homes.

We've watched him struggle with other aspects of his life. Down Syndrome is a frequently cruel genetic disorder. He has braved 23 surgeries, most before he was 25 years old. The hardest part is watching him struggle to express himself with language. The thoughts are there, but, channeling through Downs frequently results in a real struggle to be understood.

Thank goodness he has infinite patience in helping us translate. His art, however, needs no translation. Vibrant, full of life, light, movement and joy, just like him.