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Teen shows the Spirit of Christmas through her art
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BATON ROUGE - Kaili Thomas was born with an amazing gift. Her parents started to notice the soft-spoken teen's talent when she was in elementary school.
The 13-year-old has traveled the world, but her true "happy place" is with a pad and pencils, drawing.
"When I get to the point when I'm like 'I don't think I need to add anything,' then I feel like it's done," Kaili said.
The details in her art are simply remarkable, especially for a girl with no formal art training. Her mom Renita Thomas calls it a God-given gift.
"We did find out in first grade that she had dyslexia, as far as reading and phonology," Renita said.
People with dyslexia often have difficulty with specific language skills, such as reading, writing, or pronouncing words - but according to Renita, a registered nurse, kids with dyslexia often excel in other areas.
"Children who are dyslexic are often right-brain dominant and they have a gift and her gift is very creative and art. The art comes out in pictures, drawings, and paintings."
Kaili showed WBRZ's Sylvia Weatherspoon art she has created through the years, starting with a panda she made when she was eight and now an art piece of another animal.
"Me and my art teacher, we came up with a picture of a horse and she just gave me chalk and paper. I looked at the picture and started drawing it step by step as I saw it. Did some shading," Kaili said.
She said it took her about three weeks to complete the piece, which was put into her art portfolio and helped her secure a spot in a week-long prestigious summer art program at Columbia University in New York City that happened in August.
"She had to do an interview via ZOOM and after the interview, she got a letter of acceptance," Renita said.
The art-intensive program, specifically for high schoolers nationwide, only accepts 30 students, and Kaili was the only one from Louisiana. After she returned, even Mayor Broome recognized her exceptional achievements before the East Baton Rouge Metro Council.
"She congratulated me, told me she was very impressed with my art and hopes that I keep going," Kaili said.
In this season of giving, Kaili's gift of sharing joy and wonderment through her amazing art is the Spirit of Christmas.
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