Mark K. sketches The Shambles from the High Street

Woodpeckers wanted to drive into town with me this morning as she was donating one of our old flat screen LG monitors to a charity shop. We walked down Stroud High Street from the car park and just as we were about to turn into The Shambles I saw this artist sitting outside Charles T.'s bookshop and thought I’d like to see what he was drawing.

I went up to him to have a chat. When he looked up from under his cap both Woodpeckers and he realised that she used to work for him as a studio model for many years when he was a tutor for local art classes. I knew of Mark but had not met him before. While they chatted I asked him if I could take a photo which he agreed to.

I’ve just checked online and he is currently teaching in Cirencester for the next month at the Brush Studio, New Brewery Arts centre

I also learnt that he was a student at Kingston Art College, possibly when I was at the adjacent Kingston Polytechnic around 1970. I had many friends at the art college so we may have some in common. Small worlds, but I have a feeling that he is somewhat younger than I am!