I am a determined, strong, compassionate, self-taught artist and owner of Ashes 2 Beauty Artistry since 2014. I have struggled with physical issues all my life and use art to overcome these challenges. I have cerebral palsy, 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 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 the Chattanooga Girls Choir for eight years, before I graduated. 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. Even though my feet turn in as a result of the cerebral palsy, it does not affect my ability to walk... it is just different. Despite the many complications that usually accompany cerebral palsy, I process information, think, and talk normally. While that and several other symptoms never manifested in me, the physical disabilities I do face are simply 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.