A six-year-old with a passion for Monet's paintings joined Rolf Harris in France for his new TV show about art.

The Australian TV celebrity wanted Katie Thompson, who attends Warren Road Primary School, in Orpington, on his show after reading an article about her paintings in a national newspaper.

It described Katie as "the mini Monet" after she astonished judges at the National Children's Art Awards in the Tate Modern gallery with her interpretation of Monet's Water Lilies.

Katie, who was then five, won an individual motivation award and received a £50 art voucher and £300 for her school.

After reading the article, Rolf invited Katie and her teacher to join him at Monet's garden in Giverny for his Rolf on Art Series.

Rolf interviewed Katie in the garden for last week's programme.

Teacher Jill Greisen, who is also an artist, said: "Katie has a very free and natural style with mixed media, which just leant itself to her Monet impressionist style."

Katie's passion for the French artist was ignited after she produced her own version of Monet's Japanese Bridge during a school project to create a Mother's Day card.

After meeting Rolf, Katie, of High Beeches, Chelsfield, was given her very own private view of Monet's house and garden.

Katie's mother Nancy Thompson, who also has an eight-year-old daughter, Lauren, said: "Katie loves watching Rolf's programmes and enjoyed meeting him."

She added: "A lot of Katie's drawings are flower based. She also helps to do the planting in the garden, and loves leaves and stones.

"We take the kids to gardens, museums and galleries. Katie is a Monet spotter at galleries and can usually tell which paintings are by him.

"She likes the colour. If you said to her what colour is a tree, she would say it's green, brown and gold."

December 4, 2001 18:11