Sir Billy Connolly says Elton John inspired new artwork

Steven BrocklehurstBBC Scotland NewsImage courtesy of Fort High-quality ArtSir Billy says the paintings Saturday Evening was impressed by touring with Elton JohnLegendary Scottish comic Sir Billy Connolly has launched a video speaking about his new paintings, together with one impressed by his days touring with Elton John within the Seventies.The 82-year-old funnyman was identified with Parkinson’s in 2013 and introduced his retirement from comedy 5 years later, telling the BBC his “artwork is his life now”.Sir Billy has now launched 4 restricted version works beneath his Born On A Wet Day collection, recalling among the fondest recollections from his life.They embrace Sausage Tree, which displays on a visit together with his daughter Amy, Sunburned, which depicts a Scottish man who has spent too lengthy within the solar, and Fly Away Peter, which exhibits a multicoloured determine surrounded by birds.Picture courtesy of Fort High-quality ArtSir Billy says Sir Elton is a tremendous performerOne of the artworks is Saturday Evening which exhibits a rock ‘n’ roll piano participant in motion.Sir Billy says the character within the drawing “does that leg factor which is pure Elton”.The comic, who can also be a proficient musician, toured America with Sir Elton in 1976 and says he couldn’t imagine what a performer he was.”After I noticed Jerry Lee Lewis I assumed it was one of the best factor I might ever seen aside from Little Richard – after which I noticed Elton,” he says.The drawing exhibits the flamboyant piano participant together with his leg on the keyboard and a stool overturned behind him.”It was that time of the present the place he backheeled the stool and it tumbled off the stage,” Sir Billy says. “The roadies all dived in order that it did not break.”He provides: “I noticed Elton recently and he was higher than I might ever seen him. “He is a tremendous performer.”Picture courtesy of Fort High-quality ArtSir Billy says Fly Away Peter makes him smileAnother of the brand new works, Fly Away Peter, depicts a “blissful man with birds touchdown on him”.Sir Billy says he is notably happy with the way in which he has drawn the stripes on the determine’s purple jacket and with the chook that friends over his shoulder.”I like issues that make me smile,” he says.Sir Billy describes the drawing as “stunning”.”It is taken me years to say that,” he says. “I might by no means dream of claiming it earlier than for the possibility that someone would say ‘it is crap, you are no good’. “However I am fairly good. I could make individuals smile and really feel blissful. It is nice.”Picture courtesy of Fort High-quality ArtThe Sausage Tree remembers a visit together with his daughterThe Scottish comic says the Sausage Tree brings again recollections of driving across the Scottish countryside when his daughter Amy was a baby.”We simply went on the roads and noticed issues,” he says. “As soon as we have been close to a spot known as Aberfoyle and we stumbled on a sausage tree.”It was truly a bush with seed pods hanging from it however his kid’s delight at seeing a “sausage tree” has stayed with him since.Picture courtesy of Fort High-quality ArtSunburned exhibits a Tartan-clad man whose pores and skin tone is lobster redIn his drawing Sunburned, Sir Billy exhibits a Tartan-clad man whose pores and skin tone is lobster purple.”After I did it I stood again and I assumed ‘my god, you’ve got obtained it’,” he says.”It is the color you go in Scotland when the solar shines on you. It is bizarre. “It isn’t a sunbathing nation Scotland. “I as soon as mentioned the local weather in Scotland is June and winter.”Regardless of the shortage of sunshine, Sir Billy says the Scottish local weather is “fantastic to expertise”.”Scotland is probably the most extraordinary nation,” he says. “It is magical.”