By Luke Voogt
Artistic genius has crossed a generation in the Geelong region’s two newest painting prodigies, Keira Charleston and Thor Van Haelen.
Keira and Thor, both six-years-old, made the finals for their age group in the Young Australian Art Awards late last year – scoring a gold medal each.
“I’ve grown up in art galleries but I’m not really that arty,” says Keira’s mum Trina.
“Mum’s an artist and my sister is as well.”
Thor’s grandparents are similarly talented, says mother and Belgian expat Griet Desomer.
“My husband’s father is really artistic and my father was really artistic as well,” she says.
“I enrolled my boys because they are always drawing and love art.”
Thor shares his gift with brother Lanse, 8, who won his age group last year with his piece Ted The Chicken Man.
He found out he had made the final cut just “five seconds” before receiving his gold medal at school assembly.
“I was nervous, but I am proud of myself,” he says. “My classmates are really impressed.”
The Torquay College Grade 2 student loves using his imagination.
“I like animals and stuff that aren’t real,” he says. “I like making stuff up – and squirrels.”
His painting My Goblin in Belgium Village beat hundreds of entries Australia-wide.
“The houses that he put on there look like actual Belgian houses,” his proud mother says.
Keira missed out winning her entire age group by just a point with her piece Love Feast, according to her mother Trina.
“I felt really excited,” Keira says. “I like the art that I do – I like painting, when you keep painting you don’t you want don’t stop.”
The Ocean Grove youngster says her latest work was avian-inspired.
“I like to paint birds because they are beautiful and they feed their babies.”
Both young painters are learning their craft with Ocean Grove art teacher Kaz McGlynn at her Art’s Kool.
“I’m very excited,” Kaz says. “They’re such cute little kids – they wore their gold medals at school.”
“These two kids were really quiet but since they’ve won these awards they’ve gained confidence. They’re only six and they’ve sold their work.”
Kaz teaches art basics to about 90 children from the Bellarine, Geelong and the Surf Coast.
The school has had finalists in the national art competition for the last four years, but Kaz maintains her job is more about developing children’s self-esteem.
“We’re more about building the confidence of young people not the next big artist.
“I encourage the children’s parents to put their work in to exhibitions. It gives kids who aren’t sporty the opportunity to achieve.”
