SO SO Talented

My dear friend, Monique, and her daughter, Danielle, are 2 other Texans who live in Denmark. But this post is not about what it is like to be a Texan in Denmark; rather, it is about the incredible talent that Danielle has been blessed with.


She is one of the most incredible artists I have had the privilege of seeing in a very long time. I have thoroughly enjoyed watching each time she loads a new file on FB of her drawings because each and every time I am just floored at how amazing each one is. From fantasy-themed characters to a friend's little boy; it does not matter the subject because her hand brings them to life. (These are just 2 samples from her FB portfolio.... absolutely amazing!!)

So I approached her a while back and asked her to consider my hiring her to do a drawing of Albert and Emmitt-- one that we could hang up at home to remember our sweet boy that passed away last month. She agreed, but I know how busy she has been with exams and schoolwork, so I really did not expect to see anything for a while.

But today, I received a FB tag to let me know that the drawing of Albert and Emmitt was finished...  and OH MY WORD.

Many of you may have seen the photo that this drawing was taken from, but if you look closely you will see that the details she captured are so much more than any camera could ever take. Emmitt's fur looks as soft and silky as it actually was and Albert looks like the soft ball of cotton that he really is....

Danielle will be attending an art school in Roskilde this fall and I cannot wait to hear what her teachers have to say when they meet her and experience her talent firsthand.

But there is another part to this story.... you see, Danielle is a Texan, living in DK, going to a DANISH school meaning that all her courses are in Danish. She has been here about as long as I have, so she has not had the advantage of growing up with Danish and knowing how to use it as an academic language. In fact about a year ago, her teacher at her school was in doubt that she would even be able to continue her education in Denmark due to what the teacher deemed to be a lack of proficiency in her academic language. She offered little hope that Danielle could go much further in the Danish educational system.

Well I would LOVE to send a link to this blog to that teacher and remind her that there ARE SO MANY PATHS that a child can take to exhibit achievement and success. It may not always be on the conventional "book path" that teachers are so good at measuring.....  I am just thankful that Danielle has found her path and that my family is a recipient of her incredible, God-given talent. Roskilde's Art Program is SO FORTUNATE to have her!

(Leave a comment if you think you might like Danielle to create something for you and your family. I am getting this one of Albert and Emmitt printed on a canvas and I cannot wait to see how it looks!)