14-year-old Welsh artist goes viral with stunning painting
A painting by a young Welsh artist has gone viral on social media after her artwork was posted online.
Makenzy Beard, a pupil at Bishopton Comprehensive School in Swansea, has gained thousands of plaudits, after her artwork was posted on Twitter by her school, from those gobsmacked that someone so young could paint such an incredibly impressive work of art.
The painting by the Year 9 pupil is of a local farmer named John Tucker.
The incredibly lifelike portrait, that is so good it looks like a photograph, captures the farmer in a hi-vis jacket and a knitted hat.
Makenzy said: “This painting has been tricky. From squeezing in an early five minutes before school to trying to paint a fluorescent jacket in the dark
“John Tucker is a local Oxwich farmer who is never not busy. He was just as much a pleasure to paint as he is in real life.
“His reaction when I showed him the painting was ‘I look so scruffy’, haha!”
Thousands of people have taken to social media to praise the young artist and her artwork.
Congratulations to Makenzy Beard, Year 9, whose painting has been selected for exhibition at the @royalacademy Young Artists’ Summer Show. The work will be on display in London 13th July – 8th August. A fantastic achievement, well done!!! 👏🏼 #bishExpressiveArts #bish21 pic.twitter.com/doN60bKVkR
— Bishopston CS (@BishopstonSch) June 29, 2021
One wrote: “There’s a distinct chance that in 14-year-old Makenzy Beard, Wales may have just discovered its greatest living artist.”
One astonished woman added: “Wait…Year 9? I don’t know what that means. How old is this human? If a child painted this, I want to know more…”
Another said: “Staggeringly good!! So talented. It is not only the technical achievement; it evokes an emotional response to a story that draws us in. Congratulations Makenzy Beard – certain you will be a household name before too long.”
Makenzy’s painting is so impressive it has been selected for exhibition at the Royal Academy Young Artists’ Summer Show in London from July 13th to August 8th.
See more of Makenzy’s artwork via her Instagram
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Best wishes to her and for her future.
Work this technical and so evocative really deserves to be shown in a gallery in the National Museum.
Cytuno yn llwyr. Atgof o Aneurin. Wedi dal y cymeriad i’r dim. Talent aruthrol am un mor ifanc
This is wonderful. Most positive thing today
It’s an excellent painting.
someone should tell that farmer though that he’d be better off with Orange PPE instead of yellow. Studies have shown that yellow attracts more midges and other bitey little insects. I can testify that the studies were right
Some other work on her Instagram link.
So uplifting to see such talent in so young an artist.This is a great example of real art at its finest. A far cry from the usual rubbish we see so much of these days.
I agree. This is exceptional – true art, not the Tracy Emin rubbish of unmade bed, pile of bricks, nappies etc.
The work is very similar to that of the late Welsh artist, Aneurin, as it captures the whole of the subject’s personality.
Very fine painting,but it is a pity that people like you cannot praise someone without denigrating another artist.
In my opinion Makenzy is a real and talented artist. Anyone can stage an unmade bed/pile of bricks etc. – no talent required.
I don’t think Gill Jones denigrated another artist.
Brilliant, right down to the white hairs on his neck, lol!
CONGRATULATIONS MAKENZY, Simply beautiful, what a wonderful talent make it your future, I’m interested in buying a couple or three.
Would you consider ?
Best Wishes…
What a talented young lady.