While most 16-year-olds are just beginning to think about what they'd like to do with the rest of their lives, 16-year-old Dimitra Milan not only knows, but is already doing what she loves.
Growing up with two artist parents, she's been exposed to the arts since she was small, and has always known that art was her path. And her parents always encouraged her.
About four years ago, they opened the Milan Art Institute in Arizona, where the family lives, and Dimitra was allowed to take any classes she liked.
But it was much more than a passing interest. As she learned more about painting, she realized she wanted to stick with it. Eventually, she started homeschooling so she could dedicate more time to her craft. As a result, she graduated early and now paints professionally, full-time.
Her beautiful work shows you that you should never judge someone or doubt their abilities based on age. You might not suspect a woman in her 80s to be a fantastic dancer, for example, but she is! And while talent might be part of it, Dimitra owes her success to hard work.
Check out her beautiful paintings below and let us know your favorite in the comments!
[H/T: BoredPanda, My Modern Met]
Many of Dimitra's paintings feature women and animals, often blended together in dreamy, abstract forms and lots of swirling colors.
Dimitra says these subjects, particularly together, have fascinated her for a long time.
She says she likes to paint animals that are "traditionally viewed as dangerous or predators."
But she goes on to say, "In my paintings, these predators are not dangerous. They don't bite and they don't sting."
For her, the paintings are an exploration of humans' connection with nature and the world at large.
She's also been an animal-lover her whole life, and currently has a horse, a goat, and a dog.
Dimitra describes her creative process as intuitive, and often uses dreams as a source of inspiration.
Another source is traveling, which she enjoys and says keeps her from becoming too "self-focused."
But it's not all inspiration and dreams. To create consistently, Dimitra says that she works consciously to confront and move past any creative blocks she may encounter, and to push herself out of her comfort zones.
"I'm not locked into anything," she says of painting techniques, which, for her, range from classic Old Master–style practices and contemporary, experimental ones.
"I'm 16, and I have many years of growth and skill-building ahead of me," she says.
She's also aware that her painting style will evolve in the years to come, too.
She says that she'd like people to see a magical world when they look at her paintings, and that the paintings inspire them to unlock some magical worlds in themselves!
And naturally, like with any work, there are days when painting is less magical and more of, well, a job.
But that's okay, Dimitra says. She credits her parents, both artists themselves, with instilling a work ethic in her.
"They taught me that you don’t always have to be in the mood to paint. You just paint. Every day, for eight or nine hours straight just like any other career choice," she says.
"Like everything else in life, it’s hard work, passion, and commitment that will make you successful."
