The artist explains that this painting is a “Contemporary re-enactment of 7th October 1970, when Tony and Maureen sat next to each other on a bench in Regents Park London and got talking. They went on to have a family and founded the travel guide company ‘Lonely Planet.’” Randall painted the exact date they met at this place (07/10/1970) onto the boats in the background (the four boats have 07, 10, 19, and 70 respectively written on them). They are also shown in the painting reading the same things as when they met on the bench (Tolstoy’s ‘Childhood, Boyhood, Youth’ and ‘Car’ magazine). The painting is a lovely example of how to work narrative into a portrait.
