Page 3 Profile: Kieron Williamson, child artist

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A prodigy? Paint me a picture…

Kieron, aged just 11, is a venerated member of the international art scene. He began drawing on a family holiday in Cornwall at five when, inspired by the boats in harbour, he set about drawing the scenery.

But he specialises in abstract scribbles and potato prints, right?

Wrong. Kieron, of Ludham, Norfolk, has an extremely sophisticated understanding of perspective and shading – so much so that he was dubbed the “Mini Monet”. He shuns poster paints in favour of good-quality adult art materials and his preferred medium is watercolour, though he also experiments with acrylic and oils.

And how much might one of his compositions set me back?

His first collection of 19 paintings sold for £14,000 at auction in 2006, when he was nine. Last year his total sales exceeded £1.5m, with one exhibition fetching £250,000 in 20 minutes. His landscapes sell for up to £35,000 each.

That’s a lot of cash…

Fortunately, Kieron has lawyers to manage his earnings. However, his parents Michelle and Keith are emphatic that they are not the pushy types one might assume: “We have to say no to a lot of things to ensure we have a normal life and that Kieron still does the same things as other 11-year-old boys,” Michelle said.