Tell us about Samantha's artwork.

She has drawn, painted, and engaged in most other forms of artistic expression, including wood carving, since she was three years old. Her painting and drawing skills continue to grow via practice with only public school and one winter of limited private instruction. She finds the beauty in something and creates a representation of it even if it is not traditionally seen that way. She tailors her pieces to be personalized for those she loves.

Who or what inspires Samantha to create?

The people, places, and things that she loves. Samantha is a highly empathetic learner and has been even when she was very little. Now 13, she is a highly dynamic student who spends free time creating whether it is with yarn, paint, or the pencil on paper. We believe Samantha likes to use her talents to bring joy to others as well as to understand the world around her. Whether solicited or not, she tailors her work for her patrons.

What is Samantha's favorite art form?

This is hard to answer but we (her parents) would say it would be a tie between drawing and painting. Most of her paintings begin as sketches so perhaps drawing is the favorite but we like to encourage her to grow in all aspects and not hyperfocus her whenever we can. Her love of the arts is more fluid than her love of athletics, for example. Now that she is 13 she has honed in on her sports of choice while she will still draw, paint, or use whatever medium is available to create art.