On Friday, Feb. 3, The Ware Center, 42 N. Prince St., Lancaster, will open an exhibit titled "Of Light and Legacy." The exhibit will celebrate African American History Month by featuring pieces from multiple local artists, including Hempfield resident Malcolm Corley. The opening reception will be held from 6 to 8 p.m., and the exhibit will be on display until Friday, Feb. 24.

Malcolm was diagnosed with a developmental disorder when he was 3 years old. As an individual on the autism spectrum, Malcolm struggles with verbal communication and certain social cues, but he began using art as a form of expression as a child. Malcolm would make drawings of his favorite characters from the children's show "Blue's Clues" and reimagine the colorful characters featured in Dr. Seuss' books. Malcolm received his first art award in elementary school in Hempfield School District, and when he was in middle school, one of his pieces was displayed by school staff in the school district administration building.

As a student at Hempfield High School, Malcolm continued to create and attended a painting course. The head of the art department at the school, Brian Lehman, noticed Malcolm's work during class and thought that Malcolm possessed the talent required for Advanced Placement (AP) art courses. "It was a challenge for him because he wasn't used to working within a specific timeframe, but because of AP art, he had so many opportunities." said Maria Corley, Malcolm's mother. "It was quite a blessing to be in this school district."

Malcolm had his first solo show in 2017 and has since seen his work featured in exhibits across North America. "Untitled #1," a piece that Malcolm painted in his AP art class, was selected for The Kennedy Center's VSA program in 2019. The same piece was featured in the Crip Ritual art show in Toronto last year, and Malcolm has pieces in the permanent collections of both the Lancaster Museum of Art and the State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg. In between exhibits, Malcolm has had his work recognized by various online journals and he has been commissioned to create work for private collections.

"Malcolm's art is a gift," Maria said. "He isn't obsessive about it, but he loves making things that people appreciate. I know he'll be happy to see his work on the wall come opening night."

Malcolm and his artwork will also be featured in a documentary by local filmmaker Jim Hollenbough, which will premiere in March. The documentary will focus on the work of four local artists with disabilities, including Malcolm.

For more information, visit https://malcolmstiles.com/.