Tuesday Topic: HUGE BOOST FOR DS IN ENGLAND

Hear Ye, Hear Ye

Artist Tazia Fawley,
Somerset, England

I’m guessing every parent of a child with DS has by now read at least one article about 43-year-old artist Tazia Fawley in Somerset, England.

Baby Prince George, thanks to dad and mum William and Kate, now owns one of Tazia’s most colorful paintings. Articles about how that came to be abound, and I’ve scouted out what I think is probably the best one for you to read.

Prince William, Duchess Kate, and Artist Taz

You’ll read a bit there about Tazia’s mum Gylda Thomas, and about Suzie Moffat, the director of “Heart & Sold.” Heart & Sold is an organization that promotes the work of artists with Down syndrome, Tazia among them. In Moffet’s words, Taz is “over the moon that they (the D&D) like her work.”

Tazia’s Painting for the Baby Prince

You bet she is! The painting took her six months to complete, and was not for sale, according to mum Gylda; it had always been intended for the Duke and Duchess. Tazia donated the painting because she wanted to add bright colors to Prince George’s nursery. Good idea for child development, don’t you think?

And could there be any better PR for Down syndrome than a royal couple “gladly accepting” this painting for a Prince? As Tazia’s mother Gylda said, “It’s given such a boost to the self-esteem of people with Down syndrome, and I feel that’s the most important message.” Certainly it was a message the Duke and Duchess intentionally gave.

To see more of Tazia’s work, go to her page on Heart & Sold’s web site: Tazia Fawley. Taz’s brother (yay, Bro!) has also created a website for her at tazpaintings.wordpress.com. There you can read posts by Taz, including this one dated today: “I have an exhibition coming up in October so I have to stop selling any original paintings until the show is over…If anyone would like to see my work, the exhibition is at the Princess Hall, Burnham-On-Sea from the 1st – 20th October. Once complete, I will post a full list of all my remaining artwork that is for sale, and of course I am busily painting more!”

Wouldn’t we all like to go to “Burnham-On-Sea” to see that!

I say, Hip, Hip, Hooray!