Name
Rodrigo Duran

Brain Tumor Type
Other

Participant Group
Supporter

Category
Drawing/Painting/Printmaking/Chalk Art

Artist Statement (include type of art, techniques & materials used, what it means to you)
This is a painting of a mermaid watching a sunset. It's is an example of the old & modern world we live in today. When I was a child I always wanted to be a Disney animator. And the movies was what I used to learn how to draw. In college I went to an art school. But today, social medias has been the primary resource. When I discovered Bob Ross's videos, this is when I first started practicing on painting landscapes. I learned how to paint "happy little clouds" & how to paint real-looking water. As time went by my skills got better. For years I had been wanting an easel & 2 months ago I was finally able to buy one. Today the easel is like a best friend. It has helped me when painting on a canvas & learning what brushes I should use when painting certain things. What I'm best at painting is portraits but I'm always open to learning how to paint new things.

Artist Bio: Tell Us Your Story
When I was a year old I was diagnosed with Muscular Dystrophy. And a week before I turned 10 I had my first Epileptic seizure. For the last 33 years I've been living a life filled with challenges. But as time went by I learned how to face those challenges & that because of facing those challenges, sometimes unexpected rewards are given. In my senior year of Highschool, the Make-A-Wish Foundation sent my family & I to Madrid, Spain for Spring Break. This experience only inspired me to keep going forward. When I was 20 I had to stop working because my MD is progressive. Today I'm an ambassador for the Muscular Dystrophy Association & the reward, or should I say rewards, have been overwhelming. As a Latino, I have made short videos in Spanish that I share on social medias. I share my story & tell parents to not lose hope if they have a child with disabilities. That they will be surprised at what their child is can do when they give their child their love & support. Ever since I became an MDA Ambassador, I've had my story shared on a magazine twice & what I would never imagined would happen. Last year one of my paintings was used as the cover of a Neurology themed magazine. To live with disabilities is very challenging but not impossible. That our stories can be used to inspire others who may need a little extra push to achieve a goal.