RONNIE WOODS PAINTINGS AND PRINTS SHOW AT RICHARD GOODALL GALLERY – 1^st December 2007 – 5^th January 2008

Manchester’s Richard Goodall Gallery is to play host to Rolling Stones’ star Ronnie Wood, showcasing a collection of his artwork throughout December. The show promises to feature an eclectic mix Wood’s work, from original paintings including portraits of the band alongside other iconic musical figures, to a new series of animal prints.

Best known for his musical talents, Wood’s first passion lays with art. Having been born to an artistic family, his father first taught him to paint; he followed his brothers to the Ealing College of Art in London, where he received formal training. However, when his musical career began to develop in the late 1960s his focus changed. Wood maintains, however, that “I’ve never put a brush or a pen down, I was always sketching.” It was not until the late ‘80s that Wood decided to make better use of his skill.

Although originally dismissed by his band mates and told to “stick to playing guitar”, in recent years the musician’s artwork has caught the attention of renowned critics such as Brian Sewell, who describes Wood as “an accomplished and respectable painter”. Wood himself, has always remained confident of his talent - “They’ve accepted me and its blown my mind, I’ll be honest it really has. But then let’s face it: I paint well. I know it, you know it. There is no arguing really is there?”

Wood’s style is vivid, working with a variety of mediums including oil paintings, charcoal drawings, etchings, lithographs, drypoints and woodcuts. His shows have been widely exhibited throughout the world.

Of his ability to combine his two passions Wood explains, “I like the two of them going hand-in-hand”. His inspiration is drawn from his experience of the musical world surrounding him. Many for its emotion and integrity adore his music; his art evokes a similar expression.

The Richard Goodall Gallery looks forward to housing Wood’s collection: “The show is sure to attract a lot of attention from art and music fans alike. There has already been lots of early interest and we are confident that the collection will be an asset to the gallery.”