A Stroud artist has described the moment Dame Joanna Lumley OBE made a beeline for one of her paintings.
The Absolutely Fabulous icon and much-loved national treasure was opening the newly completed £31 million Five Valleys Shopping Centre when, during a tour with Mark Dransfield, chairman of Dransfield Properties, she spotted Tania Fullerton’s eye-catching artwork at Home of Vintage.
“I am very surprised and chuffed that Dame Joanna bought my painting,” said Tania, one of the artists showcasing work at the Five Valleys Gallery.
“Seconds before, I was showing her around, she told me her husband had warned he’d leave her if she bought one more thing — and then she spotted my painting. I joked it looked like she was getting a divorce.”
Describing the piece, Tania said it shows a simple interior scene: a freestanding bath beneath an open window with green shutters, soft light casting gentle shadows across the wall and tiles. “Dame Joanna said she would like to relax in that bath,” she added.
The painting was later gifted to Dame Joanna by Five Valleys shopping centre owner Mr Dransfield.
The visit marked the culmination of a major redevelopment by Dransfield Properties, who have invested £31 million into the centre since 2018, creating a medical centre, new town library, food hall office space, including the award-winning Montpellier Legal and a retail mix where the majority of businesses are independent.
