Variety adds hope to young artist’s life

The 16-year-old Westminster resident has a joint disorder and physical disabilities that stopped her from talking when she was four years old.

After winning a Royal Show art competition last year, Sarah was awarded a Variety Scholarship to develop her skills and help her fulfil her dream of becoming a professional artist and photographer.

Mother Karin Leggit said Sarah had been drawing since she could walk and discovered photography about six years ago.

"I could see that she loved drawing from a young age and she was always above average in her age group with art," she said.

"It's a means of expression. It's wonderful, it's a real release for her and it also takes her mind off all of her problems.

"I have found that, especially with photography, it's been a way of being an external focus for her rather than focussing on her problems. It's a way of her finding beauty around her."

Being a single mother on a carer's pension, Ms Leggit said the scholarship made it possible for Sarah to get a new camera and more art supplies that would help her achieve her dream of pursuing art and photography as a career.

"There's no way I would have been able to afford the camera, for example, or the canvas and the art equipment so it's great," she said.

"One of the things I noticed is that she is actually thinking about her future, which is great."