1. HERALD EXPRESS, FRIDAY, JULY 17, 2009 5www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk
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THE paintings of an 18-year-old
autistic girl are at the centre of a
row between Torbay Council
and her parents.
The girl has had her paintings on
display at renowned places
including the London based Saatchi
and Hoffman galleries plus exhibi-
tions at Exeter Cathedral, Torbay
Leisure Centre and a gallery in
Totnes.
The girl attended Mayfield School in
Torquay until her parents removed her
from the school in May after the dispute
started.
Her family say they had no knowledge
her artwork was being distributed by the
school.
They claim it was done without their
consent and are considering legal
action.
However, Torbay Council has told the
solicitors they believe the artwork was
distributed with the full consent of the
family.
The mystery deepened when it was
claimed that one of the girl’s paintings
was given to Britannia Royal Naval
College in Dartmouth, but the college
say they have no knowledge of the
painting.
The family claim the naval college
received a painting in response to dona-
tions it had made to the school.
A letter sent to the family’s solicitor on
behalf of Mayfield School said the naval
college has supported the school for
many years and donated money to the
school through that time. It said that
after one of the girl’s paintings was
admired by the college a painting was
given to the naval college.
However a spokesman for the naval
college said: “The college commander is
not currently aware that we have either
received a painting or paid any donation
for a painting from Mayfield School.
“We are investigating further and we
would not wish to be involved in
anything that will give cause for concern
to the parents.”
Work has also found its way to the
gallery of the Hoffman Foundation for
Autism which has sold three pictures.
A representative of the Hoffman Foun-
dation confirmed it had sold three paint-
ings.
They said the school sent the work to
the foundation and had the foundation
not been contacted by the family the
proceeds would have been sent to
Mayfield School.
Ian Wilson, art and craft coordinator
for the Hoffman foundation, added: “In
many cases it is the teachers who take
the initiative and submit work.
“They should be congratulated
because this girl has had her work in an
exhibition in London and she has done
very, very well.”
The youngster’s paintings were also
on display at Exeter Cathedral.
A spokesman for Exeter Diocese
confirmed Mayfield School had
submitted the art to the exhibition.
The family say the work was displayed
without their knowledge and they were
angry because the girl has a Jewish
heritage.
The family claim they were told by the
person running the exhibition that
Mayfield School said the girl had given
her consent.
However, the family said this would be
impossible as, due to her autism, she is
totally non-verbal.
Torbay Council said that in light of a
recent solicitor’s letter the work has
been withdrawn from the exhibition.
Top London gallery Saatchi has some
work displayed on their website.
The girl was entered into the Sunday
Telegraph school art prize competition
held by the gallery.
A spokesman from the Saatchi Gallery
confirmed: “The girl’s work was
submitted online by her school but has
not so far been selected by one of the
judges to be exhibited at the Saatchi
Gallery.
“We do not actively seek to sell any of
the works exhibited at the gallery unless
someone is interested in buying it and
we would never agree to selling a
student’s work without the parents’
approval first, following which all
proceeds would go the artist/family in
question.”
The family said they had no idea the
work was being distributed and were
also unaware of the talent their daughter
had.
They have instructed lawyers to try to
get their daughter’s work returned after
they pulled her out of the school.
The girl’s mum said: “We are devas-
tated, we thought these people were our
friends.”
She added: “We knew she was good at
art but we had no idea she was that good.
The paintings sent home from the school
are nothing like the paintings in the
exhibitions.
“It is wonderful that she is so good at
art and everybody wants to buy her
work. But we were not told what was
going on.
“We are really, really shocked by what
has happened.
“We are not bothered about money, we
just want to know what has happened to
her artwork and why the school won’t
give it back.”
M ay f i e l d S c h o o l d e c l i n e d t o
comment.
A spokesperson for Torbay Council
said: “Torbay Council’s Legal Services is
acting on behalf of Mayfield School in
respect of communication received from
the parents’ solicitors and, therefore, it
would be inappropriate to comment on
this issue any further.”
Autistic girl’s art work
sent to major galleries
■ ABOVE AND LEFT: Two of
the paintings that were sent
home by Mayfield School as
an example of the artwork the
student had been doing.
BELOW: Mayfield School
But parents
say it’s
been done
without
consent
By JENNA RICHARDS
jrichards@heraldexpress.co.uk
“ ”
We are devastated, we thought
these people were our friends.
The girls’ parents
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