Billy Connolly
Born on a Rainy Day | Early Drawings 2025

Whilst sorting through his house in Gozo, Malta, Billy Connolly rediscovered four of his early drawings. Hidden amongst pipes and pens, these drawings are from Billy’s first forays into art and became integral in shaping his artistic style.

The world-famous musician and comedian never intended to become an artist. It wasn’t until he took shelter in an art shop on a rainy day in Montreal, Canada that Billy discovered an innate urge to create. His initial experiments with felt tips and a sketchbook would eventually grow into a love for drawing that led him to create the pieces that are now the Early Drawings collection – a compilation of artwork that is as unique and humorous as Billy himself.

Revisiting these pieces has instilled new meaning in them for Billy as he is viewing them through a more experienced artistic lens. Reflecting on his early art has provided opportunity to reminisce about standout memories from his prolific life and career. Billy hopes that in sharing these charming drawings with the world, the viewer can now associate their own stories and meaning with the artworks.

Featured Art: 'Last Night but the Night Before'. Receive this exclusive limited edition print when purchasing the set. This exclusive print is not available for purchase individually.

Looking back, Billy considers these drawings hugely important in developing his style and ultimately sparking his passion as an artist. The beginning of a new creative story for Billy, these early works clearly exhibit his artistic evolution.

Over time, he moved from scale-like details to intricate linework which has gradually crept out of the background and into the central figures. The new artworks are reminiscent of the ‘islands’ that feature prominently in his more recent work, clearly exhibiting the development of Billy’s unique artistic style. This will also be the first time that we see Billy’s artwork in a square frame.

Despite making significant use of colour in these early drawings, Billy quickly moved on to working predominantly in black-and-white. Only relatively recently has he come full circle and begun to reintroduce colour as a key component in his artwork.

Irrepressible as ever, Billy turned to art as a new creative outlet after retiring from live performance. He missed sharing stories with his audience but has managed to continue to do so through his humorous drawings. In becoming ‘the accidental artist’, Billy has found a new way to emotionally connect with people. He says, “I think that’s what art does. It brings you the feelings that you haven’t had by yourself.”

Featured Art (L-R): 'Silence In The Undergrowth Is Key' and 'Wheeeee!'. Hand-signed Double Hit Flatbed Giclée limited editions by Billy Connolly.