His pictures cost upwards of £900, there are 680 people on a waitinglist to buy them, and his second exhibition sold out in 14 minutes. Meet the gifted artist Kieron Williamson, aged seven.
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Like many great artists, small boys are not often renowned for theirloquaciousness. While Kieron Williamson is a very normal seven-year-oldwho uses his words sparingly, what slowly emerges on the smallrectangle of paper in his kitchen is extraordinarily eloquent.
Thismonth, Kieron’s second exhibition in a gallery in his home town ofHolt, Norfolk, sold out in 14 minutes. The sale of 16 new paintingsswelled his bank account by £18,200. There are now 680 people on awaiting list for a Kieron original. Art lovers have driven from Londonto buy his work. Agents buzz around the town. People offer to buy hisschoolbooks. The starting price for a simple pastel picture like theone Kieron is sketching? £900.
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These days, however, we are often suspicious of child prodigies. Wewonder if it is all their own work, or whether their pushy parents havehot-housed them. People who don’t know the Williamsons might thinkKieron is being cleverly marketed, particularly when they hear thatKeith is now an art dealer.
The truth is far more innocent. Twoyears ago, a serious accident had forced Keith to stop work and turnhis hobby – collecting art – into an occupation. The accident alsostopped Keith racing around outside with his son. Confined to a flatwith no garden, surrounded by paintings and, like any small boy,probably influenced by his dad, Kieron decided to take up drawing. Now,father and son are learning about art together.