ART: Martin Ramirez

Martin Ramirez was an ordinary-seeming individual who possessed an extraordinary talent.

A Mexican immigrant to the United States, he wound up spending years drifting in and out of California mental institutions, having been diagnosed as a "catatonic schizophrenic". But, while he was institutionalized, he patiently created stunning works of art on all forms of canvas, including examining-table paper and paper glued together with saliva and potatoes. His works combined traditional Mexican symbols, colors and themes with his personal experiences, including time he spent working on the U.S. railroad. Through a blessing of fate, Sacramento State College professor Tarmo Pasto discovered Ramirez's artwork while studying in one of the institutions where Ramirez stayed.

Thanks to Pasto and others who collected and studied Ramirez's art, we are able to admire it today. A traveling collection of his works is on display through January at the Milwaukee Art Museum. If you can't make it to the exhibit, you can check out a CBS News Sunday Morning report on Ramirez, "Silent Artist Has Voice After Death: Confined To A Mental Ward, Martin Ramirez Refused To Talk, But Spoke Through His Art".

Sometimes the ordinary is merely a mask for the extraordinary.