Cadence’s artwork is a journey to inspire others and give viewers a moment of joy. We never would have believed that when it began with crayon drawings that her oil paintings would ever reach this level of realism. No matter how much praise is lavished upon her, Cadence always strives to improve. When people tell our daughter how talented she is, Cadence often states a quote from Michelangelo. “If people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it would not seem so wonderful at all.”

The person who inspired Cadence to create was her Uncle Andy. He told her drawing is the best way to share ideas and the foundation for all art. Tragically, after battling cancer for several years, Uncle Andy passed away. Cadence told me that she often talks to her uncle in her mind as if he were still alive. She often feels his hand guiding hers while she paints. The most important lesson Uncle Andy taught her was that creating should inspire, spread joy and spark artistic dialogue.

Cadence’s favorite art form is oil painting. It combines all the skills she has learned from sketching with a pencil to using a paint brush. The suspense of the unknown eagerly awaits as she applies layer after layer of paint. With each stroke, she feels more human as if others who lived before her are guiding her hand. Her hope is that one day her oil paintings will be able to spark conversation, evoke emotions and inspire others to create just like the renaissance painters did in the past.