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Mormon painter collaborates with Down syndrome artist

LDS painter Brian Kershisnik and Joe Adams meet in Kershisnik

LDS painter Brian Kershisnik and Joe Adams meet in Kershisnik's art studio. Kershisnik's friend Adams has Down syndrome, and together they have created artistic collaborations for gallery displays. (Steve Olpin)

Two artists paint and draw together in an old elementary school-turned-art studio in a secluded central Utah town. The friends joke and laugh as they work together to create inventive pieces of art.

The men have put on art shows together, sold paintings to galleries around the country and collaborated for almost 20 years.

One of the men pursued art in his graduate studies and is a known and respected professional artist around the country. The other artist only started painting when approached by his friend 20 years ago, but he is no less of a visionary.

Perhaps the biggest difference between the two artists is that one is renowned LDS painter Brian Kershisnik, and the other is his friend and colleague, Joe Adams, who has Down syndrome.