The paintings remind you of Monet; the painter reminds you of Matilda. That’s right, 5-year-old Iris Grace from the UK is a gifted artist with a cat for a best friend and celebrity clients like Angelina Jolie. Iris Grace also has autism.

Her paintings began as part of a routine homeschooling curriculum, but once the paintbrush was in her hand, Iris’s mother noticed a “spark” in her daughter and decided to follow where it led. There was suddenly a window into her daughter through this medium and it’s led to beautiful, colorful, impressionist-style explorations of a little girl’s mood and emotion.

Iris prefers painting on a table rather than an easel, which keeps the splashes of color from running. She also likes to have her pet cat nearby. Because autism makes communication a struggle, Iris’s paintings have become her voice, allowing her to express and react to her life and experiences.

Iris’s mother Arabella said, “Her autism and incredible concentration span has created a style of painting which I have never seen in a child of her age, she has an understanding of colours and how they interact with each other and she beams with excitement and joy when I get out the paints.”

So do we, Iris. So do we.

Learn more about Iris.
Learn more about autism.