Artwork by Artist With Down Syndrome Showcased In Waukesha

WAUKESHA, WI—A Waukesha artist's work will be shared with the community in October.

The paintings of Dan Campbell will be exhibited during the October 2 Art Crawl at Art Links, 329-333 W. Main St., according to a news release.

“We’re happy to be able to share the talents of Dan with the wider community. He was really an amazing artist, and his gifts have impacted so many people already,” said Eileen Campbell, Dan's mother, in a statement.

Campbell, who had Down Syndrome, died at age 57 in 2019. His paintings used bright colors and often included images of animals and flowers. Campbell's family created prints and postcards of Campbell’s artwork, which will be for sale during the Oct. 2 event.

The exhibit is sponsored by Adaptive Community Approach Program (ACAP), Donna Lexa Art Centers (DLAC), and the Campbell Family.

Campbell’s artistic abilities began flourishing while attending Donna Lexa Art Centers (DLAC) after graduating from Waukesha North High School. DLAC is an organization that facilitates the artistic capabilities of people with disabilities.

Campbell's work evolved from paintings which showed dark colors and sad faces to images of hidden smiley faces.

Eileen Campbell believes the change in the images revealed changes in Campbell’s brain, as he began showing signs of decline due to Alzheimer’s disease, the release said.

The artist joined the Adaptive Community Approach Program (ACAP), an organization that provides community-based programming for adults with disabilities. While he was no longer producing art due to his Alzheimer's disease, he continued to enjoy activities and relationships at ACAP.

Campbell lived at the Arboretum in Menomonee Falls during the last months of his life. The Arboretum staff organized an exhibition of his artwork onsite prior to his death.