For 17-year-old Tyrece Johnson, being born without hands and with shortened legs has never stopped him from pursuing his passion for art.

Tucking a paintbrush between his neck and shoulder, Johnson has steadily developed his talent, one stroke at a time, and now has his sights set on pursuing tertiary education. The recent graduate of Belair High School in Mandeville, Manchester, shared that his dream is to turn his passion into a career.

“Occupation-wise, I want to be a graphic designer and if I get to go to Edna [Manley College] I would pursue visual arts and graphic design,” he said. For Johnson, visual arts come naturally despite the physical challenges he has had to navigate. He told THE WEEKEND STAR that his love for art began at an early age but grew stronger when he entered high school. Without arms to hold a brush or pencil, Johnson explained that he had to find his own way to explore his passion.