A painting of US talk show host Ellen DeGeneres by 11-year-old Kenyan artist Sheilah Sheldone sparked an overwhelming response from people around the world on social media.
Sheldone had posted an image of herself next to the painting on Saturday, March 14, appealing to the internet to make her dream of meeting DeGeneres a reality.
"Hello friends make my dream of meeting Ellen DeGeneres come true. Finally the artwork is done after working on some changes. Painting done by 11 yr old artist from Kenya. Kindly help me reach her by tagging her. Let's do 100,000 comments," Sheldone posted on Twitter.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke on Sunday, March 16, the talented youngster revealed that this was her third painting of Degeneres, having first painted the TV star in 2018.
"My first painting of Ellen Degeneres was in 2018 when I was 9 years old. I really wanted to meet Ellen so I decided to make the painting better to bring out the real Ellen, and I know this is my time to meet her," she disclosed.
The image shared on Saturday, March 15, was met with a flood of heartwarming responses from individuals who marveled at Sheldone's eye-catching talent.
Sheldone revealed that she chose to paint Ellen as she hoped to emulate her and was impressed by her involvement in charity work.
"I've been seeing Ellen helping the community and doing all those things that I really want to do. I just want to be like her and to follow her steps," she explained.
The young artist who started drawing at the age of five asserted that she wanted to use her art to inspire younger generations, in addition to making a name for herself across the globe.
"I want my art to be out there, to sell internationally. For people to know me and what I do.
"My art inspires a lot of the young generation and I would want to inspire more of them," she noted.
Sheldone has previously made the news on multiple occasions, having caught the eye of leaders including Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, President Uhuru Kenyatta and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni.
She met and presented a painting to Uhuru in 2018 at State House, Nairobi.
Aside from art, the multi-talented Sheldone is also a poet and a fashion designer, disclosing in past interviews that she spent a lot of time learning the tricks of her trade on YouTube.
Sheldone says she plans on being an artist for life but she is open to exploring new careers later in life.
"On careers, I am very open. I know as I grow up my mind will develop, any career that comes to me I'll receive it because God is the one who will have given me.
"For now I'm doing what I want to do. I'll be doing art till I die," she stated.
