Showing true colors

BOUNTIFUL — Brandi Bixler will start her senior year at Woods Cross High School later this month. She adores Zac Efron ("High School Musical") and loves music and dance. She is bubbly, energetic and slightly bashful.

And she is also a talented artist with her own art exhibition.

Oh, and one more thing, Bixler has Down syndrome.

With other special education students at Woods Cross this past school year, Bixler took Lester Lee's art class.

In Bixler, Lee recognized a student with an eye for color and the skill to execute it.

Although an art educator for 22 years, Lee has never signed his name alongside a student on a collaborative piece of art.

But that changed quickly when Lee saw the high caliber of Bixler's natural skill.

Bixler's art projects began as drawings of popular culture icons. But Lee noticed Bixler's talent with color and started creating designs for her to color.

"Her use of color is so innate and immediate. I don't know how else to explain it, but you get an aesthetic experience," Lee said.

Bixler giggled as she pointed out her favorite works during a recent interview with the Deseret News.

Among her favorite pieces are ones that were painted with her friends in mind.

Each painting is a vibrant representation of fine abstract technique.

"Her art rivals someone who is deep in nonobjective art," Lee said.

The designs are simple shapes, brought to life by Bixler's paint choices.

"I never prompted her," said Lee, referring to the coloring in the paintings. "My only promptings come with the design."

"Deep Sea Pizza" is a darkly colored piece using triangles — aptly named because the triangles look like slices of pizza submerged underwater.

Brandi's self-portrait combines a balance of bright and dull colors in moving contrast.

The paintings are a combination of oil and acrylic, some with mixed elements such as crayon.

Bold, primary colors are used in a piece of spiral circles set in a grid, making for a piece parallel to any other abstractionist.