BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The home of James Castle, much like his artwork, is easy to miss at first glance.

The modest century-old home sits idle and vacant in a quiet, residential neighborhood on the outskirts of Boise. But officials working to restore the celebrated artist's residence say there is much more inside the thin walls than meets the eye. The self-taught artist was born deaf and mute in 1899 and died in 1977.

Castle's drawings were made with a sharpened stick dipped in soot and saliva. Some are in collections at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The city of Boise is working to restore the home to preserve Castle's legacy and give more opportunities for people to learn about the Idaho native artist.

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