Paul McCartney is usually the guy with the Hofner bass or the one singing about a yellow submarine. That’s the brand. But if you walk into a gallery and see a canvas covered in thick, aggressive strokes of yellow and black titled "Bowie Spewing," you aren't looking at a Beatle trying to be cute. You’re looking at a man who spent decades terrified that if he picked up a paintbrush, he’d be laughed out of the room. Paintings by Paul McCartney aren't just a hobbyist’s distraction; they are a window into how a global icon deals with the crushing weight of his own fame.
He didn't start early. Well, he did, but he quit. As a kid in Liverpool, McCartney actually liked drawing, but he felt intimidated by the "real" artists. He thought you had to go to art school and wear a beret to be taken seriously. So, he put the brushes down for about twenty years. It wasn't until he hit 40—that classic "what am I doing with my life" milestone—that he finally started painting in 1983. He needed a release that wasn't a three-minute pop song.
The Willem de Kooning Connection
You’d think a guy like Paul would paint pretty landscapes or maybe some psychedelic Beatles-era throwbacks. Nope. He went deep into expressionism. Honestly, the biggest influence on his work wasn't John Lennon or George Martin; it was Willem de Kooning.
McCartney actually knew de Kooning. They were friends. Imagine being one of the most famous musicians on earth and sitting in an old master’s studio, feeling like a complete amateur. That’s exactly what happened. McCartney watched de Kooning work and realized that art didn't have to be "correct." It just had to be felt. De Kooning told him something that changed everything: "A painting is whatever you can get away with."
That gave Paul the "permission" he needed to stop trying to be perfect. If you look at his work from the mid-80s to the 90s, it’s messy. It’s loud. There are layers of acrylic that look like they were applied with a shovel. He uses a lot of primary colors—reds, yellows, blues—and he isn't afraid of "ugly" textures. It’s the visual equivalent of a raw, screaming vocal take on a track like "Helter Skelter."
Portraits of the Famous and the Dead
One of the most talked-about aspects of paintings by Paul McCartney is his portraits. They aren't traditional. You won't find a lifelike rendering of his late wife Linda or his kids. Instead, you get "Big Mountain Face" or "Ancient Head."
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Then there is the John Lennon stuff.
Painting John was clearly a way for Paul to process the trauma of 1980. These aren't celebratory posters. They are often dark, fragmented, and somewhat haunting. In his book Paintings, which accompanied his first major exhibition at the Lyz Art Forum in Germany, you can see how he grapples with the faces of those he’s lost. He isn't painting the celebrity; he’s painting the memory of the person. It’s heavy.
The 1999 Germany Breakthrough
For a long time, nobody saw these. He kept them in his studio in Sussex. He was scared. He literally said he didn't want people to think, "Oh, here’s another celebrity who thinks he can paint." We see this all the time now—actors and musicians selling NFTs or "abstract" squiggles for millions. McCartney wanted to avoid that stigma.
It took until 1999 for him to finally show the work publicly. Why Germany? Because it was far enough away from the London critics who would have probably sharpened their knives just for the fun of it. The exhibition in Siegen featured over 70 works. Critics were actually... surprised? Some were dismissive, sure. "Derivative," they called it. But others saw the genuine energy there.
He doesn't paint for the market. He doesn't need the money. He’s Paul McCartney. That gives the work a weird kind of purity. He isn't trying to fit into the 2026 art world trends or please a gallery owner in Soho. He’s just painting because the paint feels good on the canvas.
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Styles and Recurring Themes
McCartney’s style fluctuates. You have:
- The "Celtic" influence: Lots of greens and earthy tones, influenced by his time in Scotland.
- The Abstract Expressionist phase: Inspired by the New York School, very physical and spontaneous.
- The Humorous pieces: He likes to play. Some paintings feature tiny figures or weird, cartoony faces that reflect his Liverpool wit.
He often talks about the "incident" on the canvas. He’ll start with a blob of paint and see what it turns into. It’s very similar to how he writes songs—sometimes starting with a nonsense lyric like "Scrambled Eggs" (which became "Yesterday") and letting the subconscious take over.
Why We Should Care About Celebrity Art
Usually, celebrity art is bad. Let’s be real. It’s often a vanity project. But with paintings by Paul McCartney, there’s a technical curiosity that’s hard to ignore. He isn't just splashing paint; he’s studying the chemistry of it. He experiments with different mediums, mixing oils and acrylics, or using found objects.
He’s also incredibly prolific. He’s produced hundreds of pieces. This isn't a guy who painted three things and called himself an artist. He has a dedicated studio. He spends hours there. For him, it’s a meditative space where he isn't "Paul McCartney, the Legend." He’s just a guy trying to figure out how to make a nose look right without making it look like a nose.
Key Works to Know
If you’re looking to dive into his catalog, keep an eye out for these:
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- "Bowie Spewing": A wild, yellow-toned piece that captures a raw energy. It’s not a literal depiction of David Bowie, but it’s named after a vibe Paul felt.
- "Egypt Station": Yes, he did the cover art for his 2018 album. It’s vibrant, busy, and full of symbolic imagery that feels like a dreamscape.
- "Linda": His portraits of Linda are perhaps his most tender. You can feel the affection through the brushstrokes, even when the features are distorted.
The Critics’ Take
Art critics are a tough crowd. Many argue that McCartney’s work wouldn't be in a gallery if his name weren't on the door. Honestly? They’re probably right. But that doesn't mean the work lacks merit.
The value of his art lies in the biography. You are seeing the interior life of a man who has been under a microscope since he was 20 years old. When he paints a face that looks like it’s melting, is that how he feels when he’s surrounded by paparazzi? When he uses bright, clashing colors, is that the joy of being a "Liverpool lad" who made it big? You can't separate the art from the man, and in this case, the man is one of the most significant cultural figures of the last century.
How to See Them Today
You won't find a "McCartney Wing" at the Tate Modern just yet. He doesn't sell his originals very often. He keeps most of them. However, he does release limited edition lithographs. If you want a piece of this history, you’re looking at several thousand dollars for a high-quality print.
Occasionally, his work pops up in retrospective exhibitions, particularly in Europe. He also released a massive coffee table book simply titled Paintings that is the best resource for anyone who wants to see the evolution of his style from the 80s through the early 2000s.
Actionable Steps for Art Lovers and Collectors
If you're genuinely interested in exploring this side of Sir Paul, don't just Google "Beatles art." That'll get you a bunch of fan-made posters.
- Look for the 2000 book "Paul McCartney: Paintings": It’s out of print but easy to find on the used market. It has his own commentary on the pieces, which is gold.
- Visit the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool: They have been known to display his work, and it’s the place where he first felt that "art school" intimidation as a kid. It’s a full-circle moment.
- Study the de Kooning connection: To understand Paul’s art, you have to understand 1950s abstract expressionism. Look at de Kooning’s "Woman" series and then look at Paul’s "Big Mountain Face." The DNA is there.
- Check auction records: Keep an eye on Sotheby’s or Christie’s. While he rarely sells, pieces from private collections do hit the block, and they provide a real-market valuation of his work beyond the "celebrity" hype.
Basically, the art world is finally catching up to what Paul knew back in the 80s. Painting isn't about being "good." It’s about being honest. And for a guy who has spent his life writing the soundtrack for the world, his paintings are the quiet, messy, beautiful conversation he’s having with himself. It’s not "Beatle Paul." It’s just Paul. And that’s why it works.