Newington resident receives praise for creative shopping list with doodles found at Tesco in Ramsgate
Published: 13:25, 28 March 2023
Updated: 14:16, 28 March 2023
A dad-of-three has been heaped with praise for his creative shopping list after it was discovered by an amused trolley assistant.
Dean Perry says his doodles help cheer up his wife - who accidentally left the piece of paper at the Tesco Superstore in Manston Road, Ramsgate.
The 49-year-old's humorous list has attracted lots of attention after being discovered in a trolley and posted online.
Dean, who shares his work on pickledpizza.art, says he started doodling in lockdown.
"My wife was either nipping to the local shop or we were ordering stuff online and we would sit and write a list together," the Newington resident said.
"As I was writing them down, there would be a pause between them so I would doodle.
"To cheer her up on her gloomy days, I do little cartoons next to the items every now and then.
"My wife lost her dad last year and we have had all sorts of things making us down.
"When I get down, I rely on other people. But when I cheer up, I want to cheer up other people.
"Usually I throw the lists away, but my wife forgot the shopping list and left it in the trolley."
Dean says his wife visited the store on Sunday afternoon with the shopping list, which features drawings of items such as potatoes, Marmite and grapes.
The artist, who suffers with a spinal condition, says he has never had a "lucky break" like Banksy.
"I am disabled so I can’t really work," he said.
"I do [my art] voluntarily, which includes for Newington Community Centre and the ambulance service.
"It has been a tough couple of years as my daughter has been diagnosed with scoliosis, my son is autistic and we’ve had a couple of deaths in the family recently so it has been a bit of a struggle.
"Through not having a lot of money and going through the cost-of-living-crisis, it is something to perk the day up a bit.
"I like being silly every now and then to make people laugh, but I also do sensible work, such as portraits and photography."
Chantelle Parker, the partner of the trolley assistant, shared the post on a Facebook residents' group and garnered more than 1,000 reactions.
Dozens of people also commented on the post, heaping praise on Dean's creative illustrations.
One person wrote: "Love it. Could be a Banksy! I would keep hold of it."
Another said: "That is talent. Writing lists can be so boring, this is anything but!"
While another added: "I hope you are going to keep and frame this amazing piece of artwork."
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Brad Harper