SIX new limited-edition artworks by Billy Connolly have been unveiled, including one which recalls his friendship with Robin Williams.
The latest instalment in the Big Yin’s Born on a Rainy Collection contains six colourful artworks which recount Connolly’s childhood in Glasgow, his love of fishing, and even a visit to India.
Speaking about the piece entitled Extinct Scottish Cat, Connolly was reminded of his friendship with beloved American comedian Robin Williams, who died in 2014 at the age of 63.
The piece depicts a cat-like creature, which Connolly said was inspired by the Scottish wildcat.
“They're a wild animal, not a pussycat,” he said.
“I had a stuffed one, given to me by a man whose wife wouldn’t let him keep it in the house. I put him by the fireplace in the living room.
“Robin Williams was staying with us and started pretending to be the wildcat, talking in a Scottish accent and really getting into character.
“Someone came into the room and said: ‘What’s that?’ and Robin made the exact noise of the cat and scared the life out of them. Robin was a genius.”
Another piece, Step We Gaily, was inspired by the country dancing lessons familiar to every Scottish schoolchild.
He said: “It reminds me of a music teacher I used to have called Miss Silver. “When I was about 13 or 14, she had musical appreciation days where she would play music and you would have to say what you thought of it.
“And she played us the Scottish song Mairi's Wedding. He's doing the perfect move for stepping gaily.
“You can imagine him in little hall in the Highlands, dancing with a few others. There's a lot of that ‘step we gaily’ time on a Friday night in the Highlands, when there's people who’ve had too much to drink, dancing with nobody in particular.
“There's a dance I used to love, the Gay Gordons, where you pass a partner to each other. Occasionally you lose your partner and find them dancing with somebody else.
“It's not just about dancing, it’s about mixing with each other in a great atmosphere.”
Connolly’s debut art collection was launched by Castle Fine Art in 2012.
Since then he has continued to produce artworks from his home studio in Florida.
While his initial works were in black and white, he has now embraced using colour.
“There’s more colour in the collection than before,” he said.
“I was looking at the drawings and sometimes they were crying out for colour and I didn’t know why.”
More details on the collection are available at castlefineart.com
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