'Mini Monet's' alpaca painting to be auctioned in grandmother's memory
Kieron Williamson with his painting of an alpaca, which is being auctioned to support the Priscilla Bacon Lodge. - Credit: Supplied by Priscilla Bacon Hospice
Norfolk's 'Mini Monet' Kieron Williamson is auctioning a painting of an alpaca to help a hospice that supported his beloved grandmother at the end of her life.
Kieron, 18, produced the painting to fulfil the wishes of his grandmother, Avril Williamson, who died in April aged 74, after being diagnosed with incurable cancer.
Kieron's grandmother, Avril Williamson, with her dog. - Credit: Supplied by the family
His dad, Keith Williamson, said: "The care my mum received was invaluable. We had hoped that she might have had a longer time after her diagnosis, but that was sadly not the case.
"I can't speak highly enough of the care that she received at Priscilla Bacon Lodge, it was a lifeline as we had been unable to travel from Cornwall to visit her, due to the Covid-19 travel restrictions, so were unable to spend as much time as we would have wanted with her in her final months."
Kieron Williamson's painting of an alpaca, which is being auctioned to support the Priscilla Bacon Lodge. - Credit: Supplied by Priscilla Bacon Hospice
One of Avril's final wishes was to have a painting of an alpaca, to remind her of happier times seeing alpacas at a local farm in Briston whilst walking her dog.
As a mark of her gratitude for the care she received, she wanted to raise money for the hospice.
The family and Avril decided that the painting of the alpaca should be auctioned after her death to support Priscilla Bacon Hospice's appeal.
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The in-patient and at-home care Avril received at the hospice, in Norwich, allowed her to fulfil her wish to die at home.
Keith Williamson said: "She wanted the painting to be her legacy to the appeal, so that more people could receive the same specialist palliative and end-of-life care as she did."
Hugo Stevenson, the hospice's head of operations and fundraising said: "We are incredibly grateful to Kieron and his family for fulfilling Avril’s wishes and auctioning the painting to benefit our fundraising appeal."
The painting can be viewed at The Gallery, 23 Lees Yard, Holt until July 20 when the auction closes, or online at www.thegalleryholt.com.
The hospice is aiming to raise £12.5 million to a the new palliative care unit next to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, which will also include improved day patient and outreach facilities.
Mr Williamson, who now lives in Cornwall, shot to fame aged seven, selling out his first exhibition in minutes for £14,000.
His paintings now fetch up to £45,000, and he has achieved worldwide fame, with collectors queuing for hours to see new work.
