He was surprised to find that she quickly filled up her pages and required a larger canvas, at which point the Olmstead family began investing in their daughter's alleged artistic prowess. A year after Marla began painting at just 2 years old, a friend of the Olmstead family offered to buy one of her works to hang in his local coffee shop.
After a couple of interested buyers inquired about the price of the painting, Marla's parents were shocked. The offer was accepted, thus beginning Marla's lucrative art career. Soon after her first painting sold, Marla's art was was showcased at a Binghamton, New York, art gallery run by Anthony Brunelli, a local painter.
Her reputation as a "world famous abstract expressionist" was soon cemented in the public eye. In the following months, Marla and her family were reportedly contacted by David Letterman, Ellen DeGeneres, Oprah, and numerous television news and entertainment outlets. The sudden blast of widespread media exposure made the 4-year-old's abstract paintings skyrocket in market value.
Collectors who owned works from prestigious adult artists such as Monet and Renoir swarmed around the signature "Marlas. As news of Marla's artistic vision entered the mainstream media, it caught the attention of child psychologist Ellen Winner. Winner focuses on cognition in gifted and talented children, and saw a great opportunity in analyzing Marla's work.
Winner and the producers of 60 Minutes II wanted to see Marla's work in action, but the Olmstead family had concerns about Marla's performance anxiety in front of strangers. The family and Winner ultimately agreed to insert a hidden camera in Marla's painting room, and Winner was surprised by the results. While Marla did work on a painting until completion, the psychologist was not convinced the final piece matched the style of those being sold for thousands of dollars.
She said:. This is eye-opening to me to see her painting, because she isn't doing anything that a normal kid wouldn't do. She's just kind of slowly pushing the paint around. I expected to see a child feverishly and intensively working at her canvas and filling up space. In addition to the concerns about Marla's technique, Winner was also skeptical of Mark Olmstead's involvement in the process.
On the tape, he can be heard coaching Marla through the painting process, telling her which colors to use and where. There were times when Marla clearly wasn't interested in painting any more, but continued when urged by her father. According to Winner, Marla's painting style did not display the typical child prodigy's " rage to master ," a mind state of deep focus and intensity that helps gifted artistic children hone their skills. Marla seemed low-energy and casual in her approach, walking around the canvas and idly pushing paint about.
Winner also says that most children try to portray recognizable forms in their artwork. Mark and Laura also acknowledge there are some things they would have done differently. Mark admits to getting caught up in the media excitement and putting pressure on his daughter. He wishes he would have deferred more to the judgment of Laura, who was always more skeptical and cautious. What especially stings is how some in the media labeled him a frustrated artist who was prodding and coaching his daughter.
That was never the case, he emphasizes. But Mark knows some will always be skeptical of his denial. For her part, Laura is now focused on raising two children. Life has become pretty ordinary, and she likes it that way. Marla laughs at this. She also enjoys her orchestra class.
Her future career path is undecided. Most of all, Marla is reticent about discussing her art work, except to say she just wants to improve. While Laura and I will do our best to foster and help her, the call is hers. News National Politics Schools.
If you were not there, how would you or anyone know the truth? When I was five, I made similar paint lines an and paint scribbles with different colored paint. If this work was done by an adult it would be terribly worthless. The fact that you think any adult did this work, is just as insane, as the people who paid thousands of dollars for this.
I personally know the father,do you? How can you even attest to his character if you never even met these people? Why do you WANT to believe hat any adult would paint so poorly on purpose? You must not be an artist dude … but that is just a logical assumption. However, you assumption is not logical at all.
A few of the paintings in my opinion would take a person with longer arms to make the patterns. Just a observation. Loved the documentary! Thanks for commenting! Not at 4 and 2 ft tall. But I think some of these pieces she and her father made were brilliant. I would pay for some of them myself if I could afford them. Lastly I never watched the 60 min thing.
I only just watched the beginning of the documentary and not sure I want to watch this family get torn up — which seems to be the angle every time we see someone do something amazing, right? If they were tired of doubters, place a nanny cam in the room…if the Dad helped?
I wish them all the best. How the mighty hath fallen and the tables turned on old Charlie Rose. All those women with all those allegations of sexual harassment…shamed shame shame on you Charlie.
She based her opinion on a bit of video she watched. Both lost credibility with me. Thanks for the comment. You make terrific points, and forgotten in all of it was how devastating it was to that little girl.
Geez…, loser much? She is no different, and the hit job by Charlie Rose Now thoroughly discredited. The so called expert who weighed in on the painting is equally clueless. You can debate the wisdom of what the art dealer and her parents did in promoting a true prodigy in light of the small sampling of horrible comments made here,.
A child prodigy may not grow into a Picasso, but Picasso was a child prodigy who was allowed to develop and grow into himself in a way that Marla was not. Rest assured Marla, I believe in you and hope you will find your way to make art for yourself and only yourself. My main love is Clay and used to play in the dirt and make mud pies when I was a toddler. I have my own Art Studio now, artalleystudio.
They made these beautiful paintings, so abstract and bright, very similar to Marlas paintings. The large format with acrylic paints probably helped. I congratulate you for providing her with beautiful canvases and all the paint and brushes she could use.
I think I learned a couple things when I was watching her paint that will help me in my pursuit of abstract painting success. PS I believe you, that she is a normal kid, not a prodigy. The professional art materials and your support allowed her the majestic results that she has achieved. My comment will likely not be popular. I paint. I was and am very suspicious about this 4 year old child could accomplish her reported paintings. Blaming or scolding journalists for reporting what they believe are the facts.
As a parent myself. I would never have placed a 4 year old child into such a predicament. The parents alone, not journalists are solely responsible for protecting their child. Gallery owners imo are the scourge of the art world and will use anyone, including a child, to make a profit.
0コメント