14 DAY TRIAL // A blind student from Salford, Greater Manchester, refuses to let sight problems stand in the way of her dream and she is determined to become a full-time artist.
Kimberley Burrows, 25, was born partially blind and she can only see a little out of one eye, but her disability hasn't stopped her from pursuing her purpose.
Although she isn't able to focus for more than a few minutes at a time and her pieces take almost a month to complete, she doesn't give up and her illustrations are truly amazing.
Little by little, Kimberley is making a name for herself in the art world as she has recently been awarded the prestigious art title Young Illustrator of the Year by Insight Magazine and she will be creating artwork for the publication throughout the year, reports Daily Mail.
Her winning drawing illustrates the next steps she plans to take in her life, like training to have a guide dog, completing a braille course and a mobility course with a cane.
“I have loved art for as long as I can remember. I might struggle to do a still life, but I draw from what I see in my mind,” says the young woman.
She even hopes that her passion for drawing will turn into a possible job. “It is my ultimate dream to become an illustrator for children’s book - when I was younger I always enjoyed the large print illustrations by Quentin Blake in the Roald Dahl books,” she adds.
Kimberley's dreams might come true sooner than she expects, as she has already been commissioned to create a special illustration of Paddington Bear for creator Michael Bond.
In addition, she has to create 12 more illustrations over the year and she was asked to produce an artwork for Henshaw’s Society for the Blind at the John Lewis’s community art wall, in Trafford Centre.
For her drawings, the student uses pencils, crayons and fine liners and she needs daylight lamps to help with her sight.