It's not uncommon for discerning art collectors to drop thousands on fine art for their walls, but it's not as commonplace for the piece to be by a 12-year-old. Then again, most people would never guess these seemingly Warhol-inspired works to have been painted by a kid.
Autumn de Forest has been painting since she was five or six, and has become one of Park West Gallery's top-selling artists. With her work being sold for as much as $25,000, Autumn was even called "an artistic genius" and a "child prodigy" in a special program produced by The Discovery Channel. With her artistic focus flying from The Little Mermaid to American Gothic, Autumn's talent is inarguable. Plus, her work hangs alongside Picasso, Miro, Dali, and Chagall on Park West Gallery's walls—pretty impressive no matter the age.
“The art of Autumn de Forest already exhibits a maturity and depth that many artists never achieve,” says Albert Scaglione, Founder & CEO of Park West Gallery. “She is an amazing person, an avid reader and a sponge for all that is good around her. She and her parents have chosen me to be her art dealer. It is a serious responsibility, but more so a blessing.”
Business has really been booming for the artist, who was commissioned by Disney to create a series of Disney Princess paintings and was asked to speak at Harvard University about the importance of keeping art programs in schools. She was also the official artist of the 2014 Valspar Championship and was part of Aeropostale's Epic Kids campaign.
We weren't shocked to learn that Autumn comes from quite the artistic family—including painters Roy de Forest (American, 1930-2007), Lockwood de Forest (American, 1850-1932) and George de Forest Brush (American, 1855-1941). She's also the youngest living descendent of Robert W. de Forest, the former Director of NYC's Metropolitan Museum of Art. She's also incredibly concerned with giving back and has donated to causes ranging from relief efforts in Haiti and Japan to donating to Habitat For Humanity and the Professional Golfers Association.
Check out Autumn's website to see her artistic progression from her earliest paintings to her most recent and contact her directly if you're interested in buying a specific one, as it may still be available.
