Ronnie Wood

Ronnie Wood was an artist before he became a Rolling Stone. Born in Middlesex in 1947, he trained formally at Ealing College of Art, and painting and music have remained inseparable throughout his career. His work channels the rhythm, energy and spontaneity of rock performance, while his brushwork, like his slide guitar playing, moves freely between styles. Working across charcoal, oils, watercolours, pastels, spray paint and acrylics, he creates images that carry the same restless vitality as his music.

Wood’s subjects include self-portraits, friends, family and fellow musicians, with The Rolling Stones appearing often in sketches and vivid portraits. These works reveal the character, swagger and stage presence of his bandmates, while influences from Goya, Delacroix, El Greco, Matisse and Picasso shape his visual language. Moving between portraiture, landscapes, abstraction and architectural forms, Wood turns performance into image, whether holding a guitar or a pencil.

Whether holding a guitar or a pencil, Wood turns performance into image.