The Drawing Lady

I went back to the market again to find the fruit selling woman. I thought I spotted her, and took over the drawing, noting that I hadn't got a very good likeness. 'That's my sister!', said the woman behind the stall. 'She's around the corner: come with me!'. Sure enough, there was the true likeness (!) leaning into a car and talking to someone. She was delighted, and I was delighted too. On the way back to the market, a chap was pottering about in a huge van that the produce had been delivered in. 

'Are you the drawing lady?' he asked. 'Yes', I said, for verily, I am.

The carpet shop guy wasn't there, but I left his portrait for him with the man in the shop.

Only three more to go! The newspaper seller was there, but I hadn't got his pic with me so I'll do that another time. Gina came with me on Thursday and hung out for a while with Sara (all the way from Brighton!), her friend, and the electrician fixing thinsg in the Gallery who we had a nice chat with. Photograph of him taken for possible portrait.

Later that day, I was sitting talking to Peter Tainsh and I saw a seemingly familiar face across the road. I ran over and said 'I think I might have done your portrait'. The Law Enforcement Officer came over to the gallery and said 'No, that's not me', when he saw the drawing from a distance. Then 'That IS me!' he said. And here he is, smiling.

Finally, I got a lovely message on Instagram from one of the paramedics that I drew, who had just seen the portrait of her and her friend outside The Hoarder Café on ambulance strike day. I like the way the portraits gradually percolate their way through to people. Do I mind if I never find out if the recipients get their portraits? No, not really. Some of them may 'stick' en route though it's nice to be thanked, but the thanks are all really mine for them stopping what they were doing for that moment and allowing me to take their photograph.

So I haven't taken a lot of photos of people with their portraits, partly because of the nature of the project. Maybe next time!