A TALENTED artist has met one of his football heroes after being com - missioned to paint his portrait.
Archie Wallis, from Castle Hedingham, runs his own art business
The 22-year-old said: “I have been doing it since I left college a couple of years back, starting with pets and then people
“It originally started as a side job in between studies to make money, and on lockdown I began doing people portraits and did a special one of Captain Tom Moore which turned out great.”
Archie drew a picture of Brazilian winger and Arsenal star Gabriel Martinelli, after he won a gold medal at the 2020 Olympics, and reached out to him through his Instagram page - @wallisonthewall.
He said: “I sent it to him to see if he would hopefully notice it, and he didn’t just do that, he commissioned me to do another that he sent me, and then invited me to his house to give them to him.
“I had to click on the profile a few times to make sure it was actually him, and it was absolutely surreal meeting him in person, especially as an Arsenal fan.
“He even gave me a signed and match-worn shirt from a Carabao Cup game against Leeds which was amazing.”
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Following this, Mandinha Martinez, wife of Aston Villa and Argentine footballer Emiliano Martinez, asked Archie for a commission of him after his success with his country in the Copa America.
Archie said: “She messaged me after she saw the Martinelli one as he posted it on his Instagram story.
“She asked if I could do a painting of Emi with Lionel Messi, from the tournament, which I did, before travelling up to Birmingham to give it to him in person too.
"He gave me a shirt worn after their Copa America win, and it even had the golden champions badge on it, which I really couldn't believe."
Archie, who still has family in Essex but has since moved to Beccles, Suffolk, said he still can’t believe it has come this far.
“I remember the first ever portrait I did, which was a three-pet portrait for a mate just for free.
“It was to build up my portfolio, and I know it’s cliché but if you’d have told me all of this back then I would never have believed it, it was a surreal and amazing experience.”
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