by Shanice Muyambo
from South Africa
The theme of this artwork is “My Hero,” and I chose to draw my mom to represent the unbreakable bond between a mother and her child. This drawing is a tribute to her strength, care, and the role she has played in shaping my life.
I used coloured pencils to create this piece, and every layered stroke and scribble mirrors the nine months she carried me in her womb and the sixteen years of love, effort, and guidance she has given me since. The contrasting clothing patterns symbolize the many challenges, “the bullets”,my mom has taken for me. They represent her sacrifices, the responsibilities she carries, and the life lessons I am still learning.
The age difference in the portrait highlights her incredible ability to raise respectful, responsible, and excellent children, even with the differences between us. Throughout my life, there has not been a single day when I have felt unloved, because she has always been there for me and my siblings.
