Meet the Wisconsin savant eco-artist with autism who proves all trash can become treasure

FOND DU LAC, Wis. (CBS 58) — What many might see as pieces of trash, 30-year-old Grant Maniér sees as pieces of possibility.

The Fond du Lac artist calls himself the ‘Eco-Friendly Artist’ and takes vintage jewelry, scraps of paper, old coins, puzzle pieces and everything in between to turn into detailed mixed-media artwork.

“It’s basically reducing the landfills when you’re taking away materials that people normally just throw away,” Maniér told CBS 58’s Ellie Nakamoto-White.

He works almost daily to turn trash into treasure with a modern version of the three R’s — reduce, reuse, recycle.

Many of his works feature thousands of those recycled items and depict animals or other elaborate scenes.

One piece in particular features a dragon whose shiny silver scales are made from the foil from a pack of contact lenses.

His goal? To be both environmentally and artistic — something he’s had a passion for since he was a young child diagnosed with autism.

“My autism does allow me to be hyper-focused so when I’m working on something I can just concentrate to get it done,” Maniér said. “Working with a disability like my autism, it gives me anxieties from time to time, but working on art is like a form of meditation to sooth anxieties and turn them into something different, something creative, something I can show to others.”

His mom, Julianna Coy, doesn’t remember a time when her son didn’t like art.

“It’s a pleasure and an honor to be Grant’s mom,” Coy said, recalling a childhood memory of his. "We were at Walmart, and it was the end of the month, so I hadn’t gotten paid yet, and I said, boys, I have two boys, don’t ask for anything let’s wait til next week. Well, Grant’s little voice in the back says, “Mom, can I have this?” And of course, as a mom, you want to give them everything, so I turned around and he’s holding a ream of paper.”

But she didn’t know that love for something as simple as paper would turn into talent that’s recognized nationwide.

“I ask myself what is that word when you’re beyond proud of someone? Like thank you for letting me be a part of it,” Coy said.

Grant is now considered a savant in the art world.

“Savant syndrome is a spectacular rare condition in which someone has a coexisting cognitive disability and super ability such as music, math, art, memory etc.,” said Dr. Jeremy Chapman, the medical director for the SSM Treffert Center. “The center is a research and clinical locus in Milwaukee that’s one of the main epicenters for savant syndrome in the world.”

Grant has won numerous accolades for his work including a congressional award where his art hung in the U.S. Capitol.

“I worked so hard to make this one art piece no matter what it is, no matter how big or small, and they want to put it in their living rooms or in their offices? No matter where they want to put it, just the idea that my art is hanging on that wall with them? I feel so proud,” Maniér said.

He also sells some pieces and has raised $500,000 dollars for others like him.

“So, Grant raises money for wheelchairs and hearing aids and scholarships, horse therapy, everything he was able to receive because somebody helped him,” Coy said.

Like any artist, he has a signature which includes hiding his face in nearly every piece, camouflaged among the layers.

A reminder to find value in everything, not for what it is but what it could become.

“Just working on art has always kept me grounded. It’s just a great form of meditation for me and I’m so glad I was able to discover that,” Maniér said. “It’s not what you can’t do that makes you different. It’s what you do that will change the world.”