Aelita Andre (born 9 January 2007) is an Australian abstract artist known for her Surrealist painting style and her young age. She began to paint when aged nine months, and her work was displayed publicly in a group exhibition shortly after she turned two. Her first solo exhibition opened in New York City in June 2011, when she was four years old. (Wikipedia)

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Youngest Professional Painter

Posted on 13 June 2012 by Wendy Stenberg-Tendys in Art, Society

Full of the bubbliness of a typical five year old, Aleita Andre, of Melbourne, Australia, has become the world’s youngest professional painter, earning up to $175,000 from her work. Even her smallest work sells for more than $5,000, with the most expensive one to date, selling for $24,000 in Hong Kong.

It is nothing for the youngster to work for two to three hours on one of her artistic pieces. Anita has produced art work since the age of two; art that is reported to have earned her more money in just five short years, than most professional artists earn in a lifetime.

Aleita began painting when she was just 9 months old and had her first public exhibition at the age of 2. Art critics are raving over her use of colour, composition and ability to concentrate on her abstract expressionism, known as surrealist art. The press nicknamed her ‘the Pee-wee Picasso’.

“They have a value beyond ascetic purity,” says one critic, but refused to elaborate further.

Nikka, Aleita’s mother says she quickly realized that Aleita’s way of approaching a canvas was totally different to the way other children play with paint. Michael, Aleita’s father filmed the youngster painting a canvas from start to finish and posted it on YouTube, to prove they do not exert any influence on the artist. They insist her work should be judged on merit, not on the age of the artist.

“She chooses the colours herself. She’s so determined, and forceful, and decisive, and she’ll actually get angry if you attempt to suggest a colour,” says her father.

Aleita’s Russian born mother and Australia father may deny influencing Aletia’s work, but the question remains, is the youngster being exploited? The parents say the money Aleita has earned so far has been placed into a trust fund.

Aleita has already had two art exhibitions and is heading for a gallery in New York.

Anita’s work is being compared to the unique style drip painting by Jackson Pollock, whose No. 4 1948 painting became the world’s most expensive painting when it sold privately for $140,000, in 2006. In 2004, No. 12 1949sold for $11.7 million at Christie’s. In 2012,Nu 28, 1951 sold for $20.5 million. Pollock was expelled from Los Angeles’ Manual Arts High School, after having been expelled from another high school in 1928. Pollock died in 1956.


Note:
See my next post for three great videos featuring Aelita!
Hugs,
Miguel

Here are three video clips featuring this child prodigy, the first one announcing the film trailer. I hope you enjoy them

Miguel,

Not sure what to make out of this one. I wonder if she needs new clothes every day, but with making that kind of money who cares.

Quote:
Miguel,

Not sure what to make out of this one. I wonder if she needs new clothes every day, but with making that kind of money who cares.

Hi Myrna,

To be frank, I can hardly view her paintings right now because my screen has been loosing brightness, contrast, et cetera gradually over the last week so that at best, it is a diluted image I can perceive with almost any picture that is featured. In this present case, however, I still can get an idea of the color and the shape and place of the objects so that the look of Aelita's paintings, while hard to differentiate from other surrealist works and actually not even close in quality to, say, a Miro, still can tell me that she at least more or less knows what she is doing... I hope this explanation of mine is not too watery too. :-)

Big hugs,

Miguel