By Yzzy Liwanag
Thursday, November 7
Everyone starts their art journey somewhere but for Amiri it started when he was 8 years old. The young artist often submits his pieces to school art competitions in San Antonio, Texas and his most recent piece is titled “Shapes.”“I wanted to prove that you don’t need specific art tools or a medium to create something that looks nice.” 
At just 13, this art prodigy hasn’t slowed down. Hand him a pencil, and he'll master sketching; give him paint, and he'll craft something stunning; introduce him to digital art, and he'll produce work beyond what you’d expect from someone his age.“I do art for fun,” Amiri said, “I don’t really have an underlying message in my art but it depends on what I’m feeling.” In terms of inspiration, the prodigy is influenced by Jean-Michael Basquiat, an American artist who gained prominence in the 1980s as a key figure in the Neo-expressionism movement. 
“[Jean-Michael Basquiat] was very courageous with his art. He felt the need to talk about things that nobody else talked about.”The future is bright for the young artist, he has his entire life to continue making art. When thinking about what he’d want to try next, Amiri said that he’d want to try oil painting or mural making. “I want to leave an impression on the world. I want to be remembered as something great.”