Ahmad Othman Local Painter Spreads Some Colour STORY BY MICHAEL SEGUIN FOR MANY OF US, our canvases are slashed with dark shadows. However, one young Windsorite has found a way to spread some colour. “I grew up in a very impoverished area,” 28-year-old Ahmad Othman explains. “We never really had much. There wasn’t much for us to do besides sports and drawing. So, I started drawing. I would draw cartoons. I would attempt to recreate famous paintings that I liked.” However, as life became more complicated, Ahmad put his artistic pursuits aside. “Mother passed away when I was two,” Ahmad admits. “Father left when I was 12. So, it was just me, my older brothers and my older sisters. In my teen years I was diagnosed with depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. I’ve been through abuse and poverty.” Despite his difficulties, Ahmad was able to find solace working as a Peer Support Leader at Ten Friends Diner on Wyandotte Street. But, when COVID-19 sent everyone scrambling back to their homes, Ahmad found himself out of sorts. In order to combat his anxiety, he decided to resume his artistic pursuits. However, this time, he decided to go beyond the sketchbook.
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