Adam

Adam Arnsten Delli-Bovi was born on June 5 1981 and has Down syndrome. He is also legally blind and hearing impaired. Because of this his value in the world has often been discounted and he has been viewed as someone who is dependent and a burden to others. In fact Adam has brought a greater understanding of what it means to be human to the people who have had the good fortune to get to know him and spend time
with him.

In October of 2011, when Adam was 30 years old he stated that he wanted to paint. Being an artist has become an important part of Adam’s identity. It has also given him the opportunity to share his unique vision of the world. He would like everyone to be valued for their own personal visions and experiences despite their different abilities. His art has been his way of showing the world that he is able to contribute to making the world a more inclusive place.

This is Adam’s Artist statement: I am an artist. I paint what I see and what I remember. My paintings are my own vision and reflect my unique way of seeing the world. However, since I have Down syndrome and am intellectually disabled, I need assistance during the painting process. This assistance is provided by my mother, Susan Arnsten-Russell. She takes walks with me and we talk about colors and shapes. I tell her what I want to paint and choose colors. She squeezes out the paint onto my pallet and mixes colors according to my instructions.