Kiss frontman Paul Stanley supports kid’s art after teacher disapproves – CNET [CNET]

If there’s one rule in art, it’s that rules don’t exist. That’s something Kiss co-founder Paul Stanley had to remind people on Wednesday night after a mother tweeted her kid’s painting that an art teacher apparently disapproved of.

“My 6-year-old daughter painted this amazing scene at an after school art club,” the original tweet by Gemma Leighton reads. “Her art teacher told her she had done it wrong?! You can’t do art wrong! She was so upset as art is her favourite thing to do. Can you please show Edie some support and like her painting?”

The tweet has over 104,000 likes and more than 11,000 comments as of this writing, as well as many replies supporting Edie and her work. “Edie” even trended on Twitter Thursday morning.  

“Gemma, show Edie this picture by the French artist, Raoul Dufy, and please tell her that her painting reminded me of his pictures,” one response reads. “I would get Edie’s picture made into a card or canvas print, or both, on Snapfish, and hang it in the house.”

Others shared experiences they’d had with teachers who told them their work wasn’t sufficient. “I had a prof tell me this in the second year of what I hoped would be my BFA. That was 1991, I was 21, I quit, and I’ve seldom lifted a brush since,” one reply reads.

Perhaps the most high-profile support came from Stanley, who retweeted Leighton’s post with a heartfelt message.

“Edie… Your art is AWESOME!!! There is no such thing as doing art ‘wrong,'” Stanley wrote. “There are only teachers who are wrong’!!! Your art shows amazing freedom and spirit. How can that be ‘wrong’?!?! Keep doing EXACTLY what you are doing. I LOVE it!!!”

Stanley’s tweet has ushered in more support for the 6-year-old girl and her passion for art. Several people advised her to ignore any negativity and “do what makes you happy.” Leighton didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on how Edie’s reacting to all these encouraging messages.

Unsurprisingly, people are also marveling at the attention Edie is getting from a musical legend.  

One reply on the Kiss frontman’s tweet reads: “Edie is too young to know how fantastic it is that Paul Stanley just gave her props.”

Maybe, but it’s still a kind message in what’s surely a welcome flood of support.