Shannon Hayes, 14, loves art, and she has been using it to inspire others and express herself.
What You Need To Know
- Shannon Hayes has a rare disease called spinal muscular atrophy
- Because she can't use a pencil and paper, the 14-year-old artist creates digital artwork using her iPad
- MORE: Learn more about Shannon and her artwork on her Facebook page
With an iPad, she creates her artwork.
Digital art is "pretty much like traditional art just using digital software,” Shannon said.
Because of her rare condition, digital art is the only way she can make art on her own.
“I can’t even use a pencil properly because I have to press down really hard on the paper, which I can’t do,” she said.
Shannon was diagnosed with a rare disease called spinal muscular atrophy, or SMA — something many people have never heard of because, experts say, it affects only one out of 6,000 children.
She said she needs help getting in and out of her chair because SMA impacts her nerves and muscle movement, and causes them to weaken too.
Shannon also requires assistance setting up her canvas, but once locked, in she becomes independent.
“It’s very freeing, like I have no limits on what I can do,” she said.
She said her main goal is to use her art to educate others about her rare disease and to show that those disabilities can still do pretty much anything.
“My life is like everyone else’s, just with a little help,” Shannon said.
