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CEDAR CITY — A colorful imagination and stroke of determination can go a long way, and 3-year-old Eva Sorensen is proof of that.
After her parents told her they couldn't afford to go to Disneyland, Eva took her Disney desire to "a whole new world," and started earning the money to go herself.
"She's crazy about Elsa and Ana and Princess Sofia," Eva's mother, Kaitlin Sorensen said. "I'd say Disney is practically her life."
Eva isn't just passionate about Disney and practically every character, her father Jay Sorensen said she's also very persistent: "She's asking me every single day, 'I want to go to Disneyland, I want to go to Disneyland,'" he said.
Unfortunately, the answer to that question has always been the same from mom and dad. They can't afford the trip, but last month when Eva asked her parents again, mom's follow up question took Eva's imagination to new heights.
"This time for some reason I decided to respond to her like she was an adult," Kaitlin said. "I said, 'Well, we can't afford to do that, how would you help us do that?' And her first suggestion was make pictures."
Her parents got her some nice paper and some paint, all the tools to help her. Then, Eva started making her Magic Kingdom masterpieces.
She started selling her abstract adolescent artwork on social media, earning money for her Disney trip. Eventually, Eva the artist turned into Eva the entrepreneur.
"The entire business is hers," Kaitlin Sorensen said. "All the money that comes in from her paintings goes into a bank account, so when she needs supplies she goes out with me and uses her own debit card."
Yes, 3-year-old Eva has her own bank card.
"There's a certain sense of accomplishment when you walk into a bank and see your 3-year-old daughter get her own debit card," Eva's father said.
Eva is learning the value of a dollar at a young age, all while earning her dream vacation to the most magical place on earth.
"There's true magic there, and so I just want so badly to see her accomplish this dream, it would be fantastic," Jay Sorensen said.
Eva's mom said, "She's learning at a very young age she can make what she wants happen."
So far Eva has sold about 20 paintings to buyers all over Utah. She's also sold one to a family in Maryland and one in Alberta, Canada, earning more than $600 in just one month.
For more info and to support Eva's paintings, visit her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/artby3valynn
Contributing: Stace Hall
