Two-year-old's artwork goes on sale for $2,000

A two-year-old with a passion for painting could be about to make a triumphant crawl on to the Australian art scene after a gallerist was duped into hanging her work.

Mark Jamieson, director of the Brunswick Street Gallery in Melbourne, was shown the tot’s painting by her photographer Nikka Kalashnikova, who neglected to mention the fact that the artist in question was her two-year-old daughter.

It was only after he stuck the paintings in a group show and began promotions for it that he learnt her identity.

“I was shocked and to be honest, a little embarrassed,” he told the Melbourne Age.

However, the shamefaced gallery owner has decided to have a punt on the toddler, with the prodigal pre-schooler’s work going for between $300 and $2,000.

For anyone looking to try their hand at producing their own artwork in a bid to make a bit of cash on the side during this difficult period, the gallery also offers life drawing classes to hone those artistic skills.