Anything is possible, if you put your mind to it. Tamya is a young artist from Canada who is confident enough to provide for her essential treatment needs such as speech therapy by using her creativity. She is selling her beautiful artwork for also funding her art supplies. Her artwork has a naïve style and offers a glimpse into a rich inner life. We are proud of Tamya’s determination and never give up attitude.

Can you tell us about your painting and drawing style?T: Naive style with an expressive forms and colourful palette. My mixed-media drawings and acrylic painting offer a glimpse into a rich inner life, where universal symbols of birds, flowers, trees, animals and people take on the role of expressing my feelings.

At what age did you start drawing?T: Like all kids, I doodles and scribbled as soon as I was given crayons and pencils. However, the drawing began taking symbolic humanoid when I was about 10 years old. For my 12th birthday, I received a mini set of acrylic paint tubes and 3 canvases from my friend Abby and her mom Marlo. 2 out of these three were so very impressive abstract paintings that my mom began to supply me regularly with paints and canvases, and continued receiving art supplies for my birthday from friends who were also smitten with the art work.

What was your first painting that you sold?T: Kitty cat paint - which went to Liz Zorn from Cincinnati, Ohio. She's a painter and perfumer friend of my mom, and fell in love with the paintings on Facebook when we hanged our first art show at home.

What is your favorite art creation so far?T: Blue heart painting.

What color palette you mostly used in your paintings?T: Colourful.

What are your other hobbies?T: My favourite activities are drawing, painting, horseback riding, swimming, dancing and putting together elaborate 1000 pieces jigsaw puzzles

What is your favorite place to visit?T: Fly to Tel Aviv in an airplane and visit my grandma and great-grandma!

What do you like to do when you are with your family?T: Beach picnic and long walks in the forest with my mom. Horseback riding. Baking with mom at home.

What is your favorite food?T: Sushi; Pasta with tomato sauce; Pancakes.

Any special message for our community?T: Never give up! This is both to special children and their parents. I did not start talking till I was 8 years old and had no choice (I broke my leg so I had to learn how to ask for things). But my mom and and speech therapist knew I understand everything and that it’s just a question of time when I will talk. Whatever it is you choose to do - if you put your mind to it, you will make it happen.