A Literal Portrait of Graham Walker

Totnes’s very own Graham Walker joins HM The Queen, Prime Ministers and so many others with his own portrait being painted on Saturday 21st September in St Mary’s Church, Totnes!

English Impressionist artist Sherree Valentine Daines is giving a masterclass in portrait painting and will be painting Graham’s picture live which will be auctioned by auctioneer Martin Roberts from BBC’s “Homes Under the Hammer “ at the end of the night along with other great artworks from local artists and even a Picasso and a Damien Hirst! All proceeds will go to the Uplift Appeal. There are 22 lots also including the lead sheet for Monty Python’s Lumberjack Song, pictures of Totnes, the South Hams, Glastonbury Tor and much more.

Graham Walker sold the Big Issue throughout his 50s and early 60s in towns across Somerset before coming to Totnes. Graham’s smiling face is a friend to so many and in some small way we hope this recognises our gratitude for his friendship to those who enjoy his smile and friendly greetings on Fore Street. Now aged over 70 Graham has raised nearly £150,000 in total for local charities, including so many Totnes charities and still every year he threatens retirement. He is currently writing his second book!

Tickets are £10 and £5 – please pay what you can afford. Viewing starts at 6.30pm with bar open before painting gets underway at 7.30pm. Please come – book here!

More information on Graham Walker –
Graham says that after he started selling the magazine he soon started to feel guilty for earning a living from other people’s generosity, so he began to fundraise in order to give something back to the communities he worked in.

Graham found some creative ways to attract customers to buy his magazines. After somebody remarked that “all Big Issue sellers have dogs,” he got himself a stuffed toy and put up a jokey sign saying ‘please don’t feed my dog.’ Graham also created one asking customers to ‘please queue in an orderly fashion.’ “I made a connection with people passing by me, which obliterated the insults,” he added.

“One day this gangly man walked up to me, quite dishevelled, and said my board was the funniest thing he’d seen that day and gave me a £5 note, and it was John Cleese.”

Graham’s smiling face is a friend to so many of us in Totnes and in some small way we hope this recognises our gratitude for his friendship to those who enjoy his smile and friendly greetings on Fore Street. Now aged over 70 Graham has raised nearly £150,000 in total for local charities, including so many Totnes charities and still every year he threatens retirement. He is currently writing his second book,

“I have enough memories to see me through the rest of my life,” he says. “It warms me up and makes me feel good about myself. I look back now and think, well, I’ve had a constructive life and a life I’m proud of.”

Graham Walker -“The Face of Totnes” – live portrait painting at Portrait Masterclass
Auctioned by BBC’s Martin Roberts
Saturday 21st September 6.30pm in St Mary’s Church, High Street, Totnes