Pinetop Perkins
Some days ago I thought it was now time to render homage to Pinetop Perkins in form of a painting. I had seen him live , even sat next to him in Austin in march 2010, and was then extremely shocked bu the announcement of his death. I did not dare to paint him. But now I had to…
Here is what Kev Moore, my partner, has to say:
“… Our trip to the States has been full of amazing happenstance – being in the right place at the right time on an amazing number of occasions. (Or in the case of this morning, the wrong place, as a plane crashed into a building here in Austin a few blocks away!!!)
But last night, we wandered into Nuno’s on the famous 6th. street, and found ourselves sitting next to Pinetop Perkins who, at 96 years young, is pretty much the oldest living bona fide Delta bluesman. I introduced myself, and shook his hand. It was akin to touching history. Here was a man who was there at the beginning, played Piano for Muddy Waters, Sonny boy Williamson, BB King, the list is endless. I bought a CD, Pinetop Perkins and friends, recorded with the likes of Eric Clapton, and amnazingly, recorded when Pinetop was 94! – and he kindly signed it for me.
But more amazing than that, he took to the stage last night. That grand old man of the blues, joined the house band and proceeded to take us back in time with half a dozen classics, such as Down in Mississippi, and Pinetop Boogie. I leaned over to Miki and whispered, “We are so privileged to witness this.”
My respect and affection for this man knew no bounds. The term ‘living legend’ is bandied about with vulgar regularity in this shallow era, but here was a man who embodied it.
Who would have thought, when I signed the guitar in Helena at the studios of King Biscuit time, and noticed Pinetop’s signature, that I would meet him some weeks later? Life, as I had often suspected, is amazing….”
By the way: Kev has also doen an artwork featuring Pinetop, as he remembered him at Nuno’s
These two paintings are available directly online as prints on paper or canvas and in many different sizes. Also as greeting cards. Just click on the widgets below if you are interested
To finish on a deep emotional note, here is a photo of Pinetop as we saw him…
Keith Richards 02
I always wanted to see him (and his mates) live.. and always missed him!
But this won;t happen again, next time the Rolling Stones are on stage, I go there, wherever it is!
Let’s see what the Wikipedia has tp say about him
“Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943) is an English musician, songwriter and founding member of The Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created “rock’s greatest single body of riffs” and, placed him as the “10th greatest guitarist of all time.” Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting partner and band vocalist Mick Jagger are listed among Rolling Stone Magazine’s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”.[1][2][3] Richards’ notoriety for illicit drug use has stemmed in part from several drug busts in the late 1960s and the 1970s…”
If you want to read more about that extraordinary guy, go yourself to the Wikipedia.
If you are a fan of him and want to purchase a print (available in different sizes, on paper or canvas) or a greeting card, just click on the widget below
Bruce Springsteen and Clarence Clamons
Painting based on the Video “Born to Run”.. fascinating interaction from these two giant musicians!
If you are a fan of him and want to purchase a print (available in different sizes, on paper or canvas) or a greeting card, just click on the widget below
Golf champion Pablo Larrazabal
Watercolour painting.
I wanted to try again some golfer portrait, but in watercolour this time. The winner of the BMW open is certainly a good motif..
Together Old in Italy 02
Travel sketch in watercolour and ink
Mt second artwork from the mini series “Togetherness and Loneliness in Italy”… my last post was about an old man/woman couple. Today the Togetherness is more about friendship, two old ladies chatting on a bench in a town park in Lucca, , Tuscany. And obviously they have a very enthusiastic conversation, probably telling each other some dirty secrets judging by the face expressions…
In this motif I was especially attracted by the contrast between the colours of the background and the black and white colours of the woman clothes. Also by the contrast between the darkness of the clothes and the lightness of the faces…
Well, it was again not easy to make this sketch, I had to be quick, and in the heat of the moment I forgot to take some photograph to refer to it later… but well, I think I could render good enough the impression of the scene. In fact what i wanted to show here is that ageing can still be fun… at least in Italy.. and among women!
To purchase a print (available in many different sizes and on paper or canvas) or a greeting card, please click on the widget below
Together Old in Italy
Watercolour and ink travel sketch
I saw this old couple in Montepulciano, Tuscany, Italy in April 2011, while I was on my 2 months painting trip through Tuscany. I found the scene extremely poignant, full of symbolic about life and death and age and love…It was a big challenge to try to capture this moment, I did as good as I could to hide and draw. I added the colours some hours later when we came back to our Boomobile, our tour bus… well, it is not exactly a bus, bit is a big a motorhome, but we use it for my paintings tours, so i guess the name is appropriate… it sound so much cooler than “motorhome”!!!
Some years ago, I think it was in 2008, I did in Lisbon, Portugal a sketch of an old couple too, walking together in the street after shopping. That painting has received very much recognition since then, being featured in many places around the world, for example as magazine cover related to special themes about ageing , illnesses, etc…
I hope that my painting of an Italian couple getting olf together will have the same success.
To purchase a print (available in many different sizes and on paper or canvas) or a greeting card, please click on the widget below
Black Country Communion: YOU ROCK!
Glenn Hughes and Joe Bonamassa in teh superroup Black Country Communiuon.
This new artwork is to celebrate the end of BCC (Black Country Communion) so successful USA Tour End 2011. We are waiting now for them to come to Europe, where their first gig will be in Spain. We wanted to attend it, unfortunately Kevin has self a gig that day.. but it does not matter, we will do what it takes to see them live, and fly on the 12th of July to the Czech republic to attend their show in Locket on the 17th. I hope to come back with some sketches, also it is more probable that I will be so excited and hypnotised that I won’t do anything other than widely opening my ears and eyes!
The “You Rock” in this picture points to… I am sure that Glenn is always playing for him too, and that God enjoys as much as we all do!
Rory Mcilroy: Total Eclipse!
On the evening of the second day of the US Open, I made this painting of Rory Mcilroy. I had followed him with delight , to see how he had taken, kept and even consolidating the lead.I had discovered Rory some years ago, and was immediately captivated by the purity, strength and speed of his swing. As an artist I am addicted to beauty, in my case especially in the beauty of movement,and Rory’s swing is a BEAUTY, probably the best i have ever seen. And as a passionate golfer myself, of course, how could I not love it!!!
Well he did it, he learned from the recent Augusta experience and succeeded in winning. And not only to win, he broke many records, 12 if I remember well, What a tournament! The best moment being as he hugged his Dad on that Father’s day, and later, dedicated him the Cup.
In 2009 I made a portrait painting of Rory, published it here in this blog with the text
“This was the last time I saw him, in the Portugal Masters 2009. Unfortunately he was not playing that well, and I rarely saw a smile on his face. But I am sure that one day soon, I will be able to make a smiling portrait of him”
Well, he was certainly smiling yesterday, and if I have time, I will do a portrait of him smiling. What strikes me is the difference between Rory 2 years ago and now: he is now thinner, more athletic, more mature. This is good. I just hope he won;t lose his freshness, land somehow, never change. i do love his attitude on the golf course.
And if you are a fan of him and want to purchase a print (available in different sizes, on paper or canvas) or as greeting card, just click on the widget below
Bernard’s Brandy
Another exquisite scene from teh English TV Show “”Black Books:, featuring Dylan Moran. I could not stop laughing as I saw him with his giant brandy glass, and had to paint it!
And if you are a fan of him and want to purchase a print (available in different sizes, on paper or canvas) or as greeting card, just click on the widget below
Bill Bailey in Black Books
Another very inspiring scene from the episode “The Entertainer” from the English TV show “Black Books”, where Manny (Bill Bailey) discovers his music talent.
If you want to see Bernard and Fran (Dylan Moran and Tamsin Greig) in a duo at the piano, click here.
And if you are a fan of them and want to purchase a print (available in different sizes, on paper or canvas) or a s greeting card, just click on the widget below






















