Alani Jackson of Brandon has become an award-winning artist at the age 15. She recently won first place in the state (Division 1 — Drawing) at the National Beta State Convention for her pieces Between Breath and Becoming. Her artwork was featured in the Emerging Artists Showcase at the Temple Terrace Arts and Craft Festival. After posting her winning piece on TikTok, it received over 1.4 million views and 451,000 likes. Alani creates under the name ‘Drawn by Jadore,’ and is quickly emerging as a young artist to watch.
“My art is very colorful, detailed, and intriguing,” Alani said. “I often search Pinterest for portrait ideas and draw faces I find captivating. I am usually drawn to images with vibrant, high-contrast colors. I’m fascinated by the way photographers use lighting to create depth and aura.”
Portraits inspire Alani the most because they tell powerful stories without using words.
“Art is a way to quiet my brain and immerse myself in the creative process,” Alani said. “When I’m drawing, I turn my music up on my sound bar, drown out the noise and fully focus. My favorite part is adding the finishing touches, but it’s the eyes that draw people in.”
Alani is a sophomore student at Florida College Academy. She currently holds a 4.4 GPA. She began teaching herself to draw at age 12 using YouTube tutorials and now specializes in highly realistic portrait art known for seamless blending, vibrant colors and striking depth.
“I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember, but I started taking my art seriously in 2023,” Alani said. “As I practiced more and saw the impact my art was having, I realized this was something I truly loved and wanted to continue. I mainly use alcohol markers, colored pencils and white gel pens. I enjoy blending different mediums together because it adds depth, dimension and vibrancy to my work.”
Her family is proud of all she has accomplished at such a young age.
“When Alani first started, she wasn’t as confident in her drawings, but she persisted,” said her mother, Kenyatta Morrison. “I’m incredibly proud of Alani. Watching her grow as an artist and gain confidence in her artistic abilities has been amazing. Her discipline, creativity and attention to detail really stand out, and it’s rewarding to see her hard work being recognized at such a high level.”
Alani and her mother hope that her art will inspire others.
“We hope her story encourages other young artists to believe in their talent, stay consistent and never be afraid to share their creativity with the world,” Morrison said. “I truly believe the gifts we possess are not just for us — they are meant to be shared. Through her art, Alani has found her voice and inspired more than 1.5 million people worldwide. I have watched her confidence soar as a result, and this is only the beginning.”
Visit her TikTok and Instagram pages @drawnbyjadore7 (TikTok) and @drawnbyjadore (Instagram), where she shares recent pieces, her creative process and achievements.
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