These artists are proving to the world that challenges should never hold you back from pursuing your passions
Image source: Karolina Grabowska
At Sponsors of the Future, we know that there are no boundaries when it comes to having a passion. No one should let any difficulty stand in the way of pursuing what they love. Take a look at some of these incredible artists, who are defying society’s expectations by unapologetically accomplishing their dreams.
Jessica Park - Self Taught Scenic Artist
Jessica Park was born in 1958 in Williamstown, Massachusetts, where she still resides. She is a self-taught artist who focuses her work on her fascination with Victorian architecture, urban skylines, and astronomy. Her artwork has been exhibited all over the world, from group and solo exhibitions to private collections.
Image Source: Bennington Museum
Park has even had an entire project at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts dedicated to students studying her artwork. The project utilizes the various books that have been published to showcase her work. She never let her autism diagnosis get in the way of pursuing artwork, and clearly her talent has not gone unrecognized.
DJ Svoboda - Doodling to Raise Awareness
When he was just three years old, DJ Svoboda was diagnosed with autism. Growing up with autism caused him to face many challenges with bullies, and doodling quickly became a passion for him. As he grew older, he realized that this was something he wanted to pursue seriously. From there, he created Imagineville.
Image Source: Cary Magazine
According to Svoboda, “In Imagiville, no one is ever picked on or mistreated in any way. Each Imagifriend has a job to do and they all work together. Some Imagifriends have autism or other challenges, but, they are accepted just the way they are.” This concept has now become a published children’s book. Along with his book, DJ has also had his art featured on the covers of Pennsylvania’s “Autism Globe” magazine and “Perth’s Child,” and is providing art for the Autism Society of North Carolina’s holiday card fundraiser
Kodie Smith - Paint Enthusiast and Crafter
Kodie Smith is a 22-year-old multimedia artist. Despite being diagnosed with autism as a child, she and her mother have teamed up so Kodie’s passion could become a career.
Image source: Parenting Special Needs Magazine
While she uses a variety of mediums for her artwork, Kodie’s main focus in her work is paint pouring. She loves to work with bright colors and experiment with how different paints will work together. She has even created a Facebook page - Kodie and Kristy's Kreations - where she sells the various art pieces she has created.
These phenomenal stories of these artists prove that no matter how underestimated you may be, you always have the ability to make your dreams come true. No matter what challenges they faced along the road, they kept their heads high and stopped at nothing to make their dreams a reality. Sponsor of the Future is striving to help anyone facing any difficulty make a career out of their passions, just like these three artists.
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