Norwich artist Chedgey

More than 15 years ago I looked round an art exhibition in Norwich and was impressed by the work of a local artist known as Chedgey. So impressed was I that my parents commissioned him to paint a portrait of our family.


Here's the result. It's huge, by the way, and hangs over the stairs. We've all changed somewhat since then: I've lost my moustache and beard, and my hair has, inexplicably, changed colour. The background is Menai Bridge with Snowdonia behind, taken from a photo I took some years earlier.


Why am I writing about this now? I bumped into Chedgey in The Forum in Norwich last week. I was looking at an artwork there, this rather gory one called 'The making of "I could be an EXCELLENT surgeon" by Chedgey and Grant Ley', when I realised the artist was standing beside it. I was amazed when he remembered me!


I asked him if I could photograph him. Here he is, with another of his works, 'Self portrait as a hero of the Soviet Revolution'. (There's a fascinating story of how Chedgey was elevated to the status of "Hero", and had a 30' statue erected in Gdansk in his honour.)


Another view of the self portrait: