LATEST: A dream come true. Sienna with her design on T-Shirts distributed in Northern Ireland & Japan for "Far Away" music video promotion.
"My name is Sienna Wilgaus and I’m 13 years old and I am a 4th year student at Glengormley High School, Northern Ireland. I’ve always loved arts and crafts – I enjoy drawing and painting, making clay figures, sketching and I really love anime style art and characters. My art helps me cope with my Austim challenges. I love creating characters of my own and I use lots of vibrant colours and I’d love to see my characters on t shirts one day! I spend most of my free time drawing while listening to music or watching videos online and I find this really relaxing. I’m going to take Art at GCSE and A level and would love to make a living from doing what I love one day! Aside from art, I am a massive animal lover - especially dogs of all shapes and sizes and would one day love to have a pet pig!
Sienna has recently joined the Beyond Skin team of youth4peace ambassadors. Sienna has also been chosen to receive additional support from Natali Márquez Foundation which aims to support young girls in Northern Ireland and Colombia to develop their creative skills to be used to make the world a brighter place.
Sienna's School Glengormley High is partnered with C&S Music School Japan through a friendship project developed by Min-On Music Research Institute (MOMRI) Japan and Beyond Skin. The project is a legacy outcome from Anne O'Donoghue award administered by Arts Council of Northern Ireland. MOMRI is the research arm of Min-On Music Concert Association, one of the world's largest and prestigious Music & Peace organisations with over one million volunteers. An exciting recent development is that one of Sienna's designs is to be printed on T-Shirts in Japan. MOMRI is the research arm of Min-On Concert Association, one of the world's most prestigious and largest music & peace organisations in the world with over one million volunteers.
That is a lot of networks around Sienna - but then again she is a very talented young lady already making a difference and connecting people across the world with her art.
"At MOMRI, we are delighted to see that Sienna has added a visual dimension to our musical exchange project. The students of the C&S Music School in Japan now feel even closer to their peers at Glengormley High, thanks to Sienna's art that is so lively and engaging. We wish her great success as she continues to promote good relations between Japan and Northern Ireland through her illustrations and drawings." Dr. Olivier Urbain (Director Min-On Music Research Institute Tokyo, Japan)
"In Colombia we say the word Eureka! when we find a "treasure, and Sienna is a very valuable jewel to Natali Márquez Foundation, I feel happy and grateful for her life, she has a great talent in arts, her drawings reflect the creativity and potential she possesses, I am convinced that this The exhibition will be the beginning of a wonderful journey that will transform lives and social groups not only in Northern Ireland but also in Colombia, we need more Siennas in the world." Ingrid Márquez (Director Natali Márquez Foundation)
"Beyond Skin recognises that people regardless of their age, ability, position in society, or socio-economic status, have inborn creative capacity for unbounded achievement. All we are doing is opening some doors for Sienna. The real impact will be solely down to Sienna's creative gifts and passion to make the world a better place." Darren Ferguson (Beyond Skin)
We invite to explore the virtual exhibition below. (works best on Laptop/Computer, iPad). Enjoy.
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