Some artists seem not to be content finding success in only one area. It's fairly common for some performers, especially pop musicians, to paint in addition to their music. One such artist: Paul McCartney.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/A. Scheidemann
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5 European musicians you probably didn't know are also avid painters
Some artists seem to not be content being successful in only one area. Especially among pop musicians, it seems to be fairly common for them to paint as well as to pursue their music. One such artist is Paul McCartney.
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Udo Lindenberg
Everything started with doodles for his fans. He would draw little figures wearing hats on cards he autographed. The "Udograms" ultimately sparked a true passion for painting in the singer who, starting in the 90s, created entire painting series. Particularly notable are the so-called "Likörelle" (Little Liqueurs), which were painted using egg liqueur, Blue Curacao, grenandine, or whiskey.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/S.Hesse
Ron Wood
Before he started in music, Ron Wood took lessons at an art school in London. But even as Rolling Stones guitarist, he remained true to his passion. Music is actually the most central motif in his paintings, with many of his artworks consisting of portraits of musician friends. Some of his paintings sell for as much as 800,000 euros, and even the art prints go for several thousand euros each.
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Paul McCartney
"I had to break through a mental block in order to paint," Paul McCartney once wrote in the foreword to one of his exhibition catalogues. Only at the age of 41 did he have enough confidence to step up to the canvas. Even so, he kept his works hidden from the public eye. He did not allow his expressionistic artworks to go on show until he was 56.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/A. Scheidemann
Ringo Starr
Ringo Starr's interest in art was mainly fueled by boredom. The former Beatles drummer used to play around with a drawing program on his computer when he was on tour. The results were admittedly child-like, though they sold very well and continue to do so. Perhaps it's because Ringo Starr doesn't take himself so seriously as an artist.
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Bono
Hardly anyone is as hustling and bustling as U2's Bono. Not only is he a singer, songwriter, guitarist and activist, he's also a painter. In 2003, he illustrated the music fairy tale "Peter and the Wolf" with his daughters, Jordan and Eve. The drawings went for 280,000 euros at auction, with the proceeds naturally going to a charity.
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He never wanted his success as a musician to affect how people viewed his paintings. As confidently as Paul McCartney has promoted himself and his music, he has remained markedly modest when it comes to his second passion - painting. That is why a large number of his paintings remained hidden from the public eye.
An art prize age 11
He was interested in painting even as a kid. He allegedly garnered an art prize in school at the age of 11. However, it wasn't until 1983, at the age of 41, that he began to paint on a regular basis. It is said that the American painter Willem de Kooning, a friend and famous Expressionist, encouraged McCartney to paint and markedly influenced his style.
Yet, his works were never shown in public, remaining stored away in his basement. He only spoke occasionally about his painting passion during interviews, but it was one of those interviews that sparked the interest of Wolfgang Suttner, art consultant for the western German city of Siegen. Suttner said he was interested in showing McCartney's paintings.
Small stage for a big star
Both Beatles, Paul McCartney (l) and Ringo Starr, are also visual artists Image: Getty Images/L. Busacca
Some people had already tried the same. McCartney, however, was pleased that art expert Suttner was not interested in his fame, but wanted to examine his artwork more closely. McCartney felt he was being taken seriously as a visual artist and invited Suttner to Britain. And the rest was history: the city of Siegen made headlines in 1999 as host to the first exhibition ever of superstar Paul McCartney's work. It was appealing to McCartney - with no experience showing his artwork - to start out on a small scale.
Art experts describe his work as expressionistic and somewhat surreal. Although it can't compete with the works of the major expressionists and great artists in the world, they say it is good enough to go on show elsewhere - such as in New York and London. Yet, even if McCartney doesn't like it, limited and signed prints of his paintings are sold for several thousand dollars each - something that likely also has to do with his fame as a musician.
Take a look at the picture gallery to see some of the other musicians who have tried their hand at painting.
