I am a determined, strong, compassionate, 25-year-old artist, who has been actively painting for 10 years. I have also struggled with physical issues all my life. I have cerebral palsy, Beckwith-Weidemann syndrome, and birth defects in my hands and feet. When I was born, the cord was tied in a knot, resulting in a lack of oxygen for eight minutes until I was revived. During this incident my Cerebellum was injured, causing constant shaky tremors. Because of this, it is a struggle to control my hands, particularly when it comes to opening them. The fact that I have these issues and can still draw and paint is proof to me that God is still working miracles to this day. The tremors also affect my diaphragm, making it difficult for me to sing. However I have decided to not let these issues control my life, so one of my biggest passions, along with painting, was singing with my choir, before I graduated. Even though my feet turn in as a result of the CP, it does not affect my ability to walk... it is just different. Despite the many complications that usually accompany CP and Beckwith-Weidemann syndrome, I process information, think, and talk normally. While that and several other symptoms of the syndrome never manifested in me, I do still have the BWS marks, a strawberry-colored patch of skin at the top and base of my spine, and dimples behind my ears. They are a daily reminder that God does fight my battles, and that nothing is out of His control.

I used to think of my mind as a bird inside an inescapable cage, my defected body. I wanted to do and achieve so much, but could not because of my physical issues, thinking it would have been easier if I had been mentally challenged, thus never knowing the difference. As I have grown, my focus has shifted to the things I can do, and the things I have achieved. In pushing through difficult tasks, I have found the strength to turn my disabilities into abilities. Art is a way to show God's amazing power in my life. I only want to give God honor through my gift. The gift of art has shown me that beauty really can come from ashes.