The collection of six limited edition pieces is created and signed by the star of Mrs Brown and The Last Samurai and is based on characters from the Glaswegian's imagination. He was inspired to create the series following a rainy day in Montreal in 2007, when he was on tour. After buying some felt tip pens and and a sketchbook, he sketched islands - which in time became his humorous, detailed shapes.
BORN ONA RAINY DAY
“I still think of it as a luxury, really. It’s like meditation. Sometimes I’ll be out or doing something, and then I think, ‘I’ll go and have a draw now’. I like the isolation…of being alone, on a page.”
Billy Connolly is most well known as a Scottish comedian, musician, presenter and actor. 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 in the Humblebums and subsequently as a soloist. In the early 1970s he made the transition from folk-singer with a comedic persona to full-fledged comedian, a role in which he continues. He also became an actor, and has appeared in high profile films, from Indecent Proposal (1993) to Mrs. Brown (1997), for which he was nominated for a BAFTA; The Last Samurai (2003) through to Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004), and more recently The Hobbit, to name but a few. Following the launch of his debut collection, 'Born On A Rainy Day' just a year ago, the eagerly anticipated second installment of line drawings is presented here. In 2007, on a dull, cold and rainy day in Montreal, Connolly happened upon an art shop, where the urge to create took hold. Several hours and several Canadian dollars later, Connolly was back in his hotel room with a veritable smorgasbord of art supplies and a creative demon to exorcise. Connolly began by sketching desert islands, one after the other, each island taking on its own characteristics and personality.“The fifth island, I noticed, was considerably better than the first one” Connolly recalls. The progression in such a short time frame excited him and he was keen to pursue his sketching. At every opportunity since, Connolly has sketched and drawn characters from his imagination.Taking it up with more gusto and passion in 2010, when he first began to create the Born On A Rainy Day (referencing that cloudy day in Montreal) series, the second collection of work from which we present to you today in a signed limited edition collection of fine art.
One year on, Connolly is still rationalising the concept that he is now considered an 'artist', “At the BAFTAs, a woman came over and told me she's bought one of my pieces and how much she loved it! I couldn't believe it, that was a first for me!” For Connolly, the process is described as almost meditative, the “inspiration that comes from being alone on a page.” His process is similar to that of the Surrealist Automatism movement, whereby the artist allows the hand to move randomly across the paper or canvas, without an intent to create anything specifically. Indeed, Connolly’s images seem to evolve as they are being created and he allows the image the freedom to become whatever it was destined to become. ‘Surreal' literally translating as 'above reality' perfectly fits these creations.The images are, no doubt, very real and recognisable (a horse, some birds) but also seem to float out of all context as if in a dream or a memory. Connolly’s art puts us in mind of the cave paintings that originated in Aurignacian culture, possessing a charming simplicity, yet an extraordinary self-awareness and humanity. Connolly’s characters are faceless, completely anonymous;seemingly devoid of emotion or expression and yet,the emotional connection with the audience is quite prevalent. It is perhaps the simplicity of these characters that allows the viewer to connect with them so deeply, there is nothing contrived or intended about this work. It is creativity in its purest form, it has come from a place inside the artist that is not concerned with an audience or showmanship, it is not driven by a reaction or approval; it is simply being, each drawing has taken its own path and begins to come alive as the viewer creates their own unique narrative.
Each piece in the ‘Born On A Rainy Day’ collection is a limited edition giclée of 95. Printed on 100% cotton watercolour paper, each image is individually priced at £625 framed. Also available in a suite of six, priced at £3,500 framed. Image size 22” x 16” on a paper size of 22” x 30”. BORN ONA RAINY DAY
FLY AWAY PETER
WADING BIRD
AND ON MONDAY, GOD MADE THEWORLD
SELF PORTRAITWITH HIGH HORSE
TWO FORTHE ROAD
GLASWEGIAN ICARUS
“Filling in my characters with lines is like meditation for me, I just lose myself in the piece.” Billy Connolly
BORN ONA RAINY DAY
The images contained within this literature are an artistic representation of the collection. To best experience our art, we recommend you contact your local gallery to arrange a viewing. © Washington Green 2013. The content of this brochure is subject to copyright and no part can be reproduced without prior permission. washingtongreen.co.uk
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