BILLY CONNOLLY
In 2022, Sir Billy Connolly CBE – or ‘The Big Yin’, as he is affectionately known amongst fans – will celebrate his 80th birthday. The award-winning actor, comedian and musician will also be toasting the 10-year anniversary of his Born On A Rainy Day series, which is now in its eighth iteration after launching to great critical acclaim in 2012. The six humorous new graphics from the collection showcase Billy’s personal memories and anecdotes, along with his mischievous imagination. Hand-signed by Billy at his home in Key West, Florida, each of the limited edition prints is presented as a fine art giclée on an opulent watercolour paper, highlighting his distinctive bold lines and vibrant colour palette. Despite over 50 years in showbusiness, Billy remains characteristically humble. Expressing his gratitude for the success of Born On A Rainy Day , he says: “I’m flabbergasted that people are interested in it. It’s one of the biggest shocks in my life that people find my drawings interesting. It takes my breath away that people write such kind things about them. As time goes by, it gets no less amazing. I’m thoroughly impressed by their taste.” Billy has received countless accolades – including a BAFTA award and knighthood – and once toured with the likes of Elvis Costello, Led Zeppelin and Elton John. Now, as he revealed in the 2022 TV series Billy Connolly Does …, he prefers a simple life that allows him to focus on his passion for art. He adds:
“Live, laugh, relax. I draw, and I play the banjo badly, and I fish, and I’m as happy as a clam.” This relaxed approach to life is reflected in the bright colours of his latest graphics, which explore everything from the rock and roll music of his teenage years to fictional creatures and yo-yos. Billy says: “The colour palette I’ve used for this collection has had a profound effect on me. I didn’t realise it would do so much to bring the people to life. It took me by surprise.” His gift for telling stories extends beyond a TV screen or radio interview. In 2021, his first-ever memoir, Windswept & Interesting: My Autobiography , topped the bestsellers chart, while in 2022, his favourite word for ‘drunk’ – ‘trousered’ – was added to the Oxford English Dictionary. Billy’s art has no less impact than one of his legendary comedy sketches, with his humour communicated through shapes and colour rather than words. He says: “They’re funny in a different way from how I’m normally funny. They’re odd. Some of them will make you think, and others will stop you thinking. Enjoy.”
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“It looks like one of those pantomime horses with a person inside it that you see at the circus or a party. He’s fun.” - Billy Connolly
Gironkey
Double Hit Flatbed Giclée Print on 100% Cotton Aquarelle Arches - Torchon 300gsm Paper size 57 x 77cm | Framed size 65 x 85cm Edition of 295 | Framed £1,250
“I’m very, very fond of it. He’s a one-eyed, one-horned, flyin’ purple people eater.” - Billy Connolly
Purple People Eater
Double Hit Flatbed Giclée Print on 100% Cotton Aquarelle Arches - Torchon 300gsm Paper size 77 x 57cm | Framed size 85 x 65cm Edition of 295 | Framed £1,250
“He’s a phoney and a fraud, and he’s two-faced. But he’s a good laugh. I invented the shoes.” - Billy Connolly
Face Off
Double Hit Flatbed Giclée Print on 100% Cotton Aquarelle Arches - Torchon 300gsm Paper size 57 x 77cm | Framed size 65 x 85cm Edition of 295 | Framed £1,250
“The GoZunder Fish: it’s a fish that goes under. I like it – it’s got a lot of life in it.” - Billy Connolly
GoZunder Fish
Double Hit Flatbed Giclée Print on 100% Cotton Aquarelle Arches - Torchon 300gsm Paper size 77 x 57cm | Framed size 85 x 65cm Edition of 295 | Framed £1,250
“There’s something basic about a yo-yo that asks nothing of you. It goes up and down – it’s a fun thing.” - Billy Connolly
Yo-Yo Man
Double Hit Flatbed Giclée Print on 100% Cotton Aquarelle Arches - Torchon 300gsm Paper size 57 x 77cm | Framed size 65 x 85cm Edition of 295 | Framed £1,250
“As I was colouring them, I got really fond of them. The colour added life.” - Billy Connolly
Direction
Double Hit Flatbed Giclée Print on 100% Cotton Aquarelle Arches - Torchon 300gsm Paper size 77 x 57cm | Framed size 85 x 65cm Edition of 295 | Framed £1,250
Born On A Rainy Day - Portfolio Set of Six
Set of 6 limited edition prints Pictured above unframed in presentation portfolio Unframed £4,950 | Framed £6,750
Biography
Sir Billy Connolly [B.1942, Glasgow]
Sir William “Billy” Connolly, CBE is an award-winning Scottish comedian, musician, presenter and actor. He is sometimes known, especially in his native Scotland, by the nickname The Big Yin (The Big One). His first trade, in the early 1960s, was as a welder in the Glasgow shipyards, but he gave it up towards the end of the decade to pursue a career as a folk singer. His career as a comedian and actor took off in the 1970s and he went on to appear in over 50 films, including The Hobbit: The Battle of The Five Armies (2014), Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004), The Last Samurai (2003), Mrs. Brown (1997) and Indecent Proposal (1993). It was on a rainy day in 2007 that Billy first embarked on his ar tistic journey. Taking refuge from the grey drizzle of Montreal, Canada, he entered an ar t shop with a twinkling curiosity and left with an armful of supplies and the urge to create. Over the next five years, his felt-tip drawings evolved into his debut fine ar t collection, Born On A Rainy Day , which has enjoyed eight successful releases since its launch in 2012.
2001 Awarded an honorary doctorate from University of Glasgow 2002 Presented with a Special Award by British Academy of Film and Television Ar ts (BAFTA) 2003 Made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the Queen’s Bir thday Honours list 2006 Awarded an honorary doctorate from Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama 2010 Awarded an honorary doctorate from Nottingham Trent University
2010 Made a Freeman of Glasgow with the award of the Freedom of the City of Glasgow 2012 Presented with the Outstanding Contribution Award by BAFTA Scotland 2016 Presented with National Television Awards (NTA) Special Recognition Award 2017 Received a knighthood in the Queen’s Bir thday Honours list 2021 Presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Edinburgh TV Festival
The images contained within this literature are an ar tistic representation of the collection. To best experience our ar t, we recommend you contact your local gallery to arrange a viewing. © Washington Green 2022. The content of this brochure is subject to copyright and no par t can be reproduced without prior permission.
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