Dexter High School student Savannah Gourley was encouraged to try her hand at art by her mother, Wendy, at a young age.
"I did it and I liked it," Gourley said after taking the advice of her mother, who is also an artist.
Gourley's talent really began to shine during sixth grade and was recognized for her artistic abilities.
"I received an award from my art teacher," she said. "That's when I realized I'm kind of good."
To practice, Gourley said she began drawing from images she saw and a lot of cats.
"I didn't really do the realistic stuff until about 14 years old," she said. "I just see photos and think they will turn out nice, so I draw it."
Her favorite piece she has created came from a photo of a Japanese Beetle she found on the internet.
Gourley said the majority of her pieces are drawings with charcoal, pencil or colored pencils.
She has also offered her artistic services to others. Gourley said she recently drew a piece for a family of a man in his military uniform from an older photo.
Now as a junior at DHS, Gourley has been racking up awards at many of the area art shows over the last couple years including "Best of Show" in three this year.
Most recently, she competed in the SEMO High School Symposium Art Show in Cape Girardeau, the Annual Juried Regional High School Art Exhibit in Poplar Bluff and the Bootheel Regional High School Art Awards in Sikeston.
She won Best of Show and five other awards in Cape Girardeau, Best of Show, two first and a second place in Poplar Bluff and Best of Show and third place in Sikeston.
"Best of Show is amazing," DHS art teacher Clinton Twaddell said. "To win Best of Show at all three is unheard of."
Twaddell added Gourley's evolution has been remarkable.
"She started off a strong Art I student," he said. "Every year she grows and develops more."
He went on to say the SEMO Art Show is the toughest in the area because only 25 percent of the pieces actually make the show.
"To get a piece in is a big deal," Twaddell said. "Everything she does is good. She has never had a bad piece."
Looking ahead to after graduation, Gourley is still undecided if she will pursue an art major while in college.
"I plan on still doing art for fun," she said.