A TALENTED homeless artist who has captured the imagination of hundreds of shoppers by crafting chalk drawings on the pavement has been asked to stop by council wardens.

The artist, who has only identified himself to passers-by as “Mick”, has taken to drawing different animals on paths around Colchester town centre, to the delight of shoppers.

Davina Bamford, from Colchester, spotted some of the carefully crafted artwork towards the bottom of Colchester High Street, outside The Entertainer.

She said: “He said his name was Mick, he appeared to be homeless.

“I had noticed a few different spots had his art – just by the building edges. None of it was obstructive in any way, just beautiful.

“I felt encouraged to speak with him, it was a great conversation starter. I asked if he wanted food from the Spa and he requested fruit punch pop and white chocolate cookies – I also bought him some fruit.

“He didn’t really say much about his art, but was modestly thankful for the praise we gave him.”

Dozens of residents have taken to posting pictures of the drawings on social media, praising the artist for his creativity and urging others to offer him help.

But one Colchester resident, who asked not to be named, said she spotted council wardens telling the artist to stop drawing, before washing the art away. She said: “He was drawing outside on path minding his own business they came over and told him he couldn’t and had to go, they picked the chalks up and he started packing his stuff up.”

Gazette:

Passer-by Carly Saunders said council workers were frequently telling the man to go elsewhere.

She said: “They are such beautiful pieces.

“It is a shame the council always tells him to go elsewhere. It’s a shame the work isn’t as recognised as it should be.

“It would be great to have an art wall in town - somewhere to go and do art with different equipment and he could maybe start selling bits of artwork on paper to get some money.”

A Colchester Council spokesman said: “While we recognise the talents and creativity of the pavement artist and think his drawings are really first-rate, we have been careful to advise him on a number of occasions the law classifies such work as graffiti and he should not draw directly on to the pavement.

“We have encouraged him to exhibit his talents in other ways, perhaps by joining local arts and crafts groups, which might attract greater interest in and reward for his work, and that he could even consider registering as a busker to circumvent begging laws, but these suggestions have gone unheeded thus far.

“Our only other option has been, therefore, to ask the individual to desist and remove the drawings.”

  • Does anyone know Mick? Call the newsroom on 01206 508288.