BEDFORD - Luke Hullihen got his start as an artist drawing on a Magna Doodle.
Although the Blandburg teen hasn't retired the drawing instrument, he did move on to a more permanent recorder of his work and is making his artistic debut today at the Bedford County Arts Center along with other students enrolled in Altoona's NHS Autism School.
The art center will display the students' artwork until Aug. 28.
A free public reception will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday at the center in the Anderson House, 137 E. Pitt St., Bedford. Luke, an avid drummer, will play at the reception.
The exhibit is also an opportunity to educate people on autism, a pervasive developmental disorder that involves delays in the development of basic skills, according to the art center's website.
Luke, who was diagnosed with autism when he was 3 years old, draws colorful pieces of artwork with stunning detail and depth on the rudimentary computer program Windows Paint.
His mom, Jaynee, and dad, Zane, said they always loved their son's artwork but hadn't realized just how skilled their son was until a teacher at school pointed out the pureness of his work.
"I would love to know how it works," Jaynee said of Luke's ability to remember an image such as a Pittsburgh skyline and recreate it on the computer.
"You just do it," she said, repeating Luke's explanation. "You just do it. That's the best I'm going to be able to tell you."
Luke's artwork often follows a musical or spiritual theme. He has an insatiable love of jazz, spending hours inside Barnes & Noble listening to music from artists such as Tony Bennett, Duke Ellington - and the musician he likes to dress up as: Frank Sinatra.
Brandon Grant, 17, of Manns Choice will also have artwork on display. His work focuses on cartoon characters and the movies, his mom, Beth Lattermer, said.
"I think it's very expressive," she said. "It truly shows the things that mean the most to Brandon."
The art center has hosted an annual student show for 19 years and an exhibit of artwork by abused children titled "Daddy's Red, Mommy's Blue," Bedford County Arts Council Chairwoman Lynn Ashe said.
"Art is about expressing feelings and interpreting the world," she said. "The mission of the Bedford County Arts Council is to nurture artists and to make the arts available to the community. Every artist has a different view, and we think it's important to exhibit a variety of perceptions."
