Stoney Creek teen's painting hangs in the National Gallery

Stoney Creek artist Josh Tiessen,16, is about to do something even his mentor, famed wildlife artist Robert Bateman, has been unable to do, leave his painting overnight at the National Gallery of Canada.

Tiessen is one of the 12 finalists in "So you want to be an artist?," a competition sponsored by the National Gallery aimed to encourage teens who are passionate about art.

Tiessen's painting, a close-up of a door with peeling paint, received the second most votes out of almost 200 submissions across Canada. He thanks the people of Hamilton for helping him make it through to the final round. Their votes "made this dream possible of having my painting hung there," Tiessen says.

His exhibitionbegins Saturday and runs until July 3.All12 finalists will have their paintings featured at the National Gallery this month.

Tiessens talent also won him some time in an artists workshop run by Bateman.

"He was outstanding," said Bateman. "Its wonderful news and hes very deserving." Bateman joked that hes only ever had one of his own paintings at the gallery and that one stayed for just one evening. Now his young student has a month-long exhibit.

Batemans attention meant a lot to the young artist.

"Ive always admired his work over the years. It was an incredible honour to be invited out to study under him," Tiessen said.

Tiessen was born in Russia and thats where his loveof painting first developed. He said he had a Russian nanny who would teach him, when he was just two years old, to draw pictures of his stuffed animals with shading and perspective. "From a young age my parents noticed a special artistic gift."

When his family moved to Canada, Tiessen was discovered, at the age of 10, by Burlington artist Valerie Jones and hes been taking his art very seriously since.

Judges meet on Monday to decide who places first, second and third. The first prize winner gets a trip to Ottawa and a behind-the-scenes tour of the National Gallery.

You don't have to travel all the way to Ottawa to see Tiessen's art. He's hosting a studio tour of his own this weekend in Stoney Creek. It starts Friday and runs all weekend at his studio at 148 King Street East and two other galleries nearby.