Leila Ahmad Al-Jazzaf is a 17-year-old artist with a talent in visual arts that is undeniably unique and impressive, especially for her age. Born in Kuwait in 2000, to an Irish mother and a Kuwaiti father, Leila faced a setback in her speech development as a child; she was unable to talk until the age of 7. Naturally, her inability to speak was a source of anxiety to her parents, who thought that perhaps, she would never be able to talk. But doctors advised that she should be allowed to watch cartoons and other similar programmes more often, as a form of speech therapy.
In spite of this difficulty and the accompanying distress she must have experienced, Leila’s natural creativity and talent for drawing was very evident even as an infant. She developed a love for the visual arts at a very early age and began drawing with paint at the age of 3. At 4 years old, she began to make sketches and by the time she was 8, she had taught herself to skilfully use a brush and paint to depict very vivid images. Now Leila’s artwork is so remarkable and extraordinary that one look at her paintings will leave a lasting impression on the viewer. What is even more amazing about Leila’s artwork is that she has never received any form of formal visual-art training, yet the details in her paintings can definitely be likened to that of a trained professional. Her work and style of drawing can best be described as ‘out of this world’ and her talent is unmistakable even to a person who has little or no knowledge of arts and paintings.
Leila also writes screen plays and she hopes to be a successful movie writer on the red-carpet someday. The sky is only the starting point for young Leila Ahmad Al-Jassaf and Tozali Magazine wishes her success in all her endeavours.
By Akaomachi B
