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Girl, 7, Becomes Famous Artist By Mistake
Filed under: In The News, Amazing Kids
Leilah Poulain holds her painting that is on display at London's Saatchi Gallery. Credit: Adam Gray, SWNS.com
You can almost hear a million artists screaming. They would give their left lungs to have one of their paintings exhibited at London's oh-so-exclusive Saatchi Gallery.
Yet, 7-year-old Leilah Poulain has her painting of a penguin hanging in the gallery -- because of a mistake, The Sun of London reports.
Poulain's mother, Rebekah, just wanted to download the penguin picture to a private online folder at home. Instead, she accidentally uploaded it to a public file and automatically entered Leilah in a national art competition.
Two years later, Poulain was notified that she was one the winners. Her penguin painting is now hanging alongside works of famous artists such as Damien Hirst.
"Apparently there were 1,700 entries," Rebekah tells the Sun. "It seems it happened because I'm an idiot. Leilah thinks it's brilliant."
However, the 7-year-old is not quite sure what it all means. "Does this mean I'm famous?" she asks the paper.
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ReaderComments (Page 3 of 5)
6-08-2011 @ 4:48PM
Art Critic said...To the Mother, you should be ashamed of yourself for exploiting your child in such a fashion. Your child is not a great artist because she has the capability of doodling, many 7 year olds do this on a daily basis. Furthermore I would suggest to allow your child to be a child instead of trying to make a super star. Their is enough child exploitation to last us a lifetime and please do not add to the mix.
Sincerly, a concerned individual
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6-08-2011 @ 4:09PM
KygonGames said...I don't understand why people like "abstract art" theres millions of asians who could draw up a crazy anime drawing in so much as 20 minutes, theres ambidextrous artists and artists who could draw something so well it almost looks like a real photo, now why do we care about this thing that looks like it showed up in my bean soup?
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6-08-2011 @ 7:13PM
JAY JONES said...That is , without a doubt, the best penguin ever painted, bravo to the little one who painted it and the art critic who chose to exhibit it, Bravo, Bravo.
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6-08-2011 @ 3:54PM
Scooby0095 said...Well, I think the penguin's cute. ^_^
And even if it's a mistake, I think it's sweet. As an artist myself, I know everyone has potential. That little girl will probably be inspired to keep drawing and one day be a great artist.
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6-08-2011 @ 4:01PM
kelsey said...it isn't even good it looks like a regular seven year old drew it what is the big deal????????????????????????????????????????????????
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6-08-2011 @ 4:08PM
Jayla said...OMG... good job. In my opinion you famous. I'm 13 and can't even draw a straight line:) Your very talented. Good Job!!!
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6-08-2011 @ 4:09PM
Theresa said...I have to only hope that this piece of "art" was compared with other children her age because it is a very basic painting that really isn't worthy of so much attention except maybe in the school scene. I believe the accident was likely further up than just oops mom accidentally sent it to the wrong place.
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6-09-2011 @ 8:03AM
sozan2 said...Think "publicity stunt".
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6-08-2011 @ 4:26PM
Marit Londeaux said...Wow, the SPAMMERS are out in full swing today! To LindaJ, Mandy, Camilla, Laura, Kelly, Kim, Pia, Marthana, Bett, and Natalie, why are you wasting our time posting links to websites that we are not interested in? You have no business being on this, or any other, site unless you're contributing to the conversation. May I repeat what it says below: PLEASE KEEP YOUR COMMENTS RELEVANT TO THIS BLOG ENTRY.
To Molly.Gardner - I'm not including you on this list of scumbags because it seems your link has something to do with arts and crafts, which is relevant to this story. The rest of you have been duly reported and I hope your "comments" are soon deleted.
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6-08-2011 @ 4:26PM
Kelly said...could i just say my opinion, it's not that cute i mean sure it is art i guess but, did they REALYy have to put it in a art museum. I mean REALLY, put in like a place for kids because millions of artists create paintings and don't get them put in an art museum, and then some kid just comes out of nowhere, and gets her painting in the place because of a mistake! the other artists work like a long time on their art and they don't get their work in that place! If I were a really good artist and i coundn't have my art in a museum for everyone to see and a little girl does, I don't know about you but I would be really ticked off. THIS IS JUT MY OPINION SO PLEASE IF YOU DISAGREE THERE IS NO NEED TO COMPLAIN TO ME< THANK YOU!
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6-08-2011 @ 4:52PM
The Easter Bunny said...I don't know why anyone would complain about this painting after having elected an abstract president.
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6-08-2011 @ 5:02PM
Libby said...If you actually look up from a credible site about this story, it says that the mother was downloading the painting to an online webpage that you can save your artwork to and even be able to put boarders on it, which the museum probably had a contest for all the art that was uploaded to it... Also, there are 20 other children that also have won, and they are going to be in the same museum in the Education Room for the rest of June.
If you don't have kids, you probably wouldn't know, but they love to be praised for their work and get to win something. It's like not having to pay your bills for a whole year. Just be happy for someone that is young and has found something to be passionate about. They got their work praised and recieved a few minutes of fame. Grow a pair and get over the fact that you had a horrible childhood that makes you rag on 7 year old girls. It's just pathetic!
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6-08-2011 @ 5:50PM
matt said...and over-encouraging kids by rewarding anything mediocre or less isnt helping either. kids get the idea that as long as you tried, oh well. its why we have the "shake what your mama gave you" effect. people proud to be fat and not ashamed to wear overly tight clothes (but hey theres some degree of emotion and creativity to it so it must be art too right?). instead we should be saying go run around the block a few times.
6-08-2011 @ 5:07PM
Martin said..."Does this mean I'm famous?" she asks the paper.
~~~"No, darling, it means the art world are idiots."
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6-09-2011 @ 9:01AM
Bob said...Looks like a Picaso to me....
6-08-2011 @ 5:14PM
apopetman said...just shows how stupid people can be...I'll bet they had all kind of interpretations in their silly little minds...when it was only a child that did the art...
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6-08-2011 @ 5:15PM
mary said...As soon as i looked at it the painting seemed to have movement to it, like the penguin is shivering. i can see it as art also.
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6-08-2011 @ 5:24PM
mary said...Van Gogh in my opinion was a terrible artist, but try buying one of his paintings, unless you are pretty wealthy you cant. but its like i have always said, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
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6-08-2011 @ 5:39PM
matt said...ugh
the word art is thrown around so loosely these days. it is laughable what some people will call art. what makes this penguin art and not every other child's drawing? please, tell me. i'm dying to know cause my parents have a ton of my childhood masterpieces stored away somewhere. they may be sitting on a fortune.
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6-08-2011 @ 5:51PM
carl said...goes to show you that modern art is largely a scam, and its followers fools........if a badly done drawing by a little kid can be mistaken as worthy art, comparable to that done by serious artists, then this is an indictment of notions of taste, and modern art in general..........
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