Covid-19: Essex boy's lockdown art project ends up in gallery
Nathan JonesArtwork created by a boy who wanted to pass the time during lockdown has gone on display in a gallery.
More than 250 artists from across the world came forward to help 12-year-old Noah, who lives in Dedham, Essex.
His father posted on Instagram in April, asking artists to finish the pictures he had started while he could not go to school.
Nathan Jones said he could never have imagined the paintings would end up in a gallery.
Mr Jones said he was "incredibly proud" and described the exhibition at Firstsite in Colchester as "a real visual treat".
"Finally seeing all the collaborations in an exhibition has been rather overwhelming," he said.
"They look absolutely stunning and Firstsite has done an incredible job. It spectacularly shows off just how huge this project became.
"It is totally amazing what beauty can be achieved when so many wonderful people come together for a great cause."
Nathan Jones
Noah, who has hydrocephalus, epilepsy and cerebral palsy, was painting on pieces of cardboard when his father had the idea.
He offered to post out the backgrounds that Noah had created to artists, who would finish them off.
Artists from the UK, Colombia, Italy, Spain, France, Sweden, Germany, the US and Australia have all taken part in the project.
The family has created a book, called Background Bob, to raise money for the Colchester and Ipswich Hospitals Charity and also plans to auction off the individual paintings next year for the same cause.
Mr Jones said it was their way of saying thank you to the doctors who have played "a huge part" in Noah's life.
He said anyone interested in the project could follow Noah on his Instagram account background_bob.
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