Had his life not been cut tragically short in New York City in 1980, John Lennon would be an octogenarian today. As his legacy remains prominent throughout the world, countless people mourn his loss in their own ways. For Helen Anderson, who was a personal friend of John Lennon, art provides catharsis.

Helen met John Lennon in college at Liverpool as a teenager. She came to Lennon's attention thanks to a portrait she had created of Lonnie Donegan, the so-called Sultan of Skiffle that was a regular fixture in the UK pop charts in the 1950s. A friend of Helen's was a huge Lonnie Donegan fan and showed him a drawing that Helen had sketched. 

So impressed by her artistic prowess, Donegan commissioned Helen to create a portrait. The piece of art made the press, and in turn, came to the attention of John Lennon in 1958. This led to the fabled first words he ever said to Helen Anderson - "hey, are you that bird who painted Lonnie Donegan?" A lifelong friendship was born at this moment.

Helen constructed a drawing of Lennon under his request, freezing a moment in time of one of the world's most beloved musicians. At this point, Lennon was in what Helen described as his "Buddy Holly period" – a clean-cut, fresh-faced Teddy Boy look, complete with thick, black-rimmed spectacles. 

Naturally, Lennon's aesthetic would evolve over the years. This is captured in another John Lennon drawing from Helen Anderson, which captured a more mature, contemplative Lennon. Round alternatives replace the square glasses, the clean-shaven teenager has grown into a long-haired, bearded gentleman, and the celebrated talisman pendant was around Lennon's neck. 

There is no denying the passion and power behind the eyes in both drawings, though. No matter what period of his life, Lennon's likeness is instantly recognisable. Sadly, the world was robbed of the opportunity to see how John Lennon would look while drawing his pension. However, judging by these two drawings by Helen Anderson, the evolution would have continued to gain pace.