An artist with Down Syndrome, who met Princess Diana and the young Princes William and Harry as a schoolgirl, is hoping the Princess of Wales will accept her offer of a painting to illustrate how people are thinking of her as she goes through her cancer treatment.
Fiona Stevenson, an abstract artist whose work has been exhibited in London, New York, Manchester and Cambridge, says that thinking about Kate triggered memories of the happy times she enjoyed when Princess Diana twice visited her special school, Pield Heath House, in Uxbridge in the 1990s.
In a letter Fiona wrote to the Prince of Wales with help from her mother Mari she says: “One of the other girls at the school had written to your mother, asking if she could come and visit and, amazingly, she did! It was such a special day. Her kindness reminds me of Princess Kate and I want to do something to give her a little joy every day.
“Princess Diana enjoyed her day so much that she returned soon afterwards to join us for Christmas lunch, bringing you and Prince Harry, who both queued up with us to be served our meal.
“Even though it was more than 30 years ago I still think often about Princess Diana’s visit and how much it meant to me and to my friends.
“I wanted to offer a gift of a painting to the new Princess of Wales to help lift her spirits as she goes through a very difficult time.”
Fiona’s bold energetic paintings have been praised by master printer Kip Gresham who has collaborated with Terry Frost and Elizabeth Frink.
And visual artist and associate lecturer at Central St Martins, Susan Aldworth describes Fiona as ‘a maker of beautiful marks.’
See some of Fiona Stevenson’s work, and view her virtual galleries, here: https://www.fionastevenson.co.uk
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