The signature of football manager Kieran McKenna on an art student’s image was “totally unexpected,” according to the subject himself.
Andy, 16, traveled from China to Ipswich to further his education, and it was there that he discovered his passion for painting nine years ago.
Andy chose to paint a painting of McKenna when (ITFC) was just promoted to the Premier League, but he never imagined he would see it.
In his artwork, he wrote that McKenna’s response had served to “encourage” him.
“ITFC got promoted and it’s such a big moment for all of us in Ipswich to celebrate and Kieran McKenna is our hero so I decided to draw him,” Andy said.
Even while Andy acknowledged he wasn’t a huge football fan, he did acknowledge that McKenna is a “brilliant” manager.
“My art teacher came up with the idea that we could do a timelapse of me drawing,” he said.
“I was completely taken aback when [McKenna] saw it for himself.
“I’m just giddy with excitement. It was quite encouraging and unique for me, and I sincerely appreciate it.”
After finding Andy’s photo online, a former pupil who is currently employed for the football team showed McKenna.
Andy claimed that he only took one hour to draw the portrait, but he was so impressed that he signed it.
Cherry Steed, Andy’s painting instructor, said that the manager declined to add a personalized note in case the student decided to sell it later.
However Andy does not plan to do this.
The student’s work has garnered attention before.
Ms. Steed claims that another artwork by Andy was chosen from 7,000 submissions to be included in the online catalogue for the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition and is currently on show at the Royal College of Art.
“What’s lovely about Andy and his artwork is that everybody celebrates it, everybody recognises it, so when I have younger students come into the classroom they recognise Andy,” said Ms Steed.
“His drawings on the wall serve as an inspiration to them; they are much influenced by him.
“We are so proud of him and we will also be there to encourage and push him to be daring and to not shy away from that.”
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