New Delhi, Dec. 27 -- When Fernando Davila was 8 years old in Colombia, he failed a drawing class because he painted donkeys red.

There was a reason for that: He is colorblind.

Now the 72-year-old Davila is an established and respected artist whose vibrant paintings have been exhibited in South America, Europe and the United States.

"I have the most wonderful job in the world, which is painting every morning," Davila said from his studio in a Miami suburb. "To mix colors. To have joy to share with the world, that's really my passion."

He started off painting only in black and white until he was around 30 years old because of his colorblindness, a congenital condition which makes it difficult for people to tell the difference between c...