Exclusive by Alan Quick

A STUNNING depiction of the Mayor of Crediton, Cllr Frank Letch MBE, has been created by a local artist.

Mr Letch completed a number of sittings for Vin Jelly, who first painted a preliminary study before completing the complex oil on canvas painting.

Mr Jelly explained: “Frank had met my daughter Freya while at Landscore Primary School.

“We were buying a Christmas tree at the garden centre when Frank and his wife appeared and because Freya had met them before (at Landscore) we struck up a conversation.

“I then asked Frank if he had ever had his portrait painted (because I thought he would make a very interesting subject). Frank said he hadn’t but agreed to sit for me.

“I was daunted at first, it is not every day that you work with someone with no arms but Frank put me at ease.

“I completed one preliminary study in one afternoon and it took four sittings for the painting.

“I included some fruit to hint at the fact that Frank is a keen gardener and his foot is depicted bare because he uses his feet to perform all kinds of tasks.

“Frank has a characterful face, a gift for an artist and I am delighted with the result.”

Mr Letch, who is currently writing his biography, said he was “thrilled” with the painting.

He said he hopes that the painting will be displayed in the council chamber at the Council Offices, in Market Street, Crediton, to begin what he hopes will be a trend of displaying paintings of Mayors of the town.

He added: “Kevin’s painting has now gone up to London as it has made the first ‘cut’, to use a golfing term.”

Mr Jelly, from Crediton, is an accomplished and recognised artist, having exhibited widely at galleries across the country.

Originally from South Yorkshire, he has lived and worked in Devon since 1982. He has work in collections at home and abroad.

On the original founding committee of the South West Academy of Fine and Applied Arts he was elected academician in 2000, has served as a trustee and was elected Honorary Academician in 2011.