Miria and her family moved here from Guatemala about five years ago, and her mother speaks only Spanish. Miria is completely deaf. Despite moving to a country where she did not know the language and being completely deaf, Miria has overcome all obstacles in her way and has shown the community that age does not matter when it comes to artistic ability.
Miria began drawing when she was about 3 years old but did not get seriously into the arts until she moved to Okeechobee in 2018. At that time, she was unable to communicate with others due to not only one but two language barriers.
Miria’s little sister Sandy, 10, is also deaf and follows in her big sister’s footsteps when it comes to creativity. Sandy enjoys making jewelry and loves experimenting with color combinations and picturing her art on the arms of babies, children and adults.
Miria and Sandy are members of Osceola Middle School’s after-school art club and are mentored by their regular teacher Felicia Massie and their art tutor Lisa Bell.
When Bell first heard about Miria, four years ago, it was through a Facebook post by Dr. Tuuli Robinson asking if anyone had any art supplies they could donate to a third grader with great talent. As an artist herself, Bell did not hesitate to reach out and not only donated supplies but also offered her services as a tutor. It did not take long though for Bell to realize that Miria did not really need a tutor. She seemed able to grasp the different concepts on her own.
Despite this, Bell has remained by the girl’s side as she grew and expanded her talent. “She’s just amazing. You give her the tools, and she just instinctively knows what to do.”
Miria said her favorite tools are colored pencils and she particularly likes drawing and painting cowboys, horses, prairie grass and things like that. “Flowers, birds, I draw lots of things. I think animals that live in the ocean are beautiful.”
When Miria gets older, she knows she will need a career of some sort maybe a server of some sort but plans to continue her art.
Now, she and Massie would like to make it possible for both girls to do some artwork at home. For this to happen, they need desks and storage space and more supplies. In addition, they would like to raise money for entry fees for a booth at the Speckled Perch Festival.
“We would also like to purchase desks and storage for both Miria and Sandy for their home. For Miria, this will be a functional place to work on her art where she can keep her supplies and artwork in a safe place without them being damaged. For Sandy, this will be more of a student desk, but one where she can continue her jewelry-making skills at home and have some storage options. And of course, we want to continue to support them with supplies for their specific artistry,” said Bell.
If you would like to help, you can find a GoFundMe on Facebook or contact her teacher Mrs. Massie through Osceola Middle School.
Help the artistic Mendez sisters
“Our community has been so supportive of these two sweethearts, and we are so thankful for that and for the investment in their lives. It makes every difference in the world to them as without this help, they would not have the tools to give them that jumpstart they deserve,” said Bell.
