We’ve all suffered through them: pop stars and celebrities picking up a paintbrush and foisting upon us artworks that feel like PR stunts in disguise. Robbie Williams, James Franco, Joel Lyucett, it’s like a conveyor belt of art crimes you can’t escape from. Then there’s Ringo Starr, the Beatle, the drummer, the eternal peace-and-love ambassador. His first-ever exhibition of original canvas paintings proves celebrity art can actually be, well… good. Or at least, meaningful and joyful.
STARR ART, opening this September at Las Vegas’ Animazing Gallery, is all colour, chaos, and unpredictable joy. Ringo’s Spin Art series, big, swirling canvases inspired by children creating patterns with centrifugal motion, feels alive and just a little chaotic. It’s a reminder that picking up the best art supplies for painting isn’t solely about technique; it’s about having fun and being playful with paint.
(Image credit: Ringo Starr – photo: Scott Robert Ritchie)
Creativity with a cause
Ringo isn’t painting just for headlines and social media numbers. All proceeds benefit the Lotus Foundation, the charity he co-founded with wife Barbara Bach, supporting causes from cancer research to homelessness and animal welfare. In a world of self-serving, introspective celebrity exhibitions, this is art that matters. And if you’re inspired, you might even try the best digital art software, just as Ringo did in the ’90s, for yourself and see what glee you can spin onto a canvas.
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There’s more than just colour here. Ringo’s work echoes the playful unpredictability that made the Beatles iconic. Case in point: the bizarre story behind The Beatles’ logo, where a tiny tweak became a world-famous design. His paintings carry that same sense of irreverence and made the Beatles unique and art feel approachable.
Why you’ll actually care
This isn’t about debating brush strokes or price tags. STARR ART is about feeling joy, reconnecting with creativity, and remembering why art can be magical. The ‘peace and love’ Beatle has often been overlooked, but he’s always found a way to find fun in life, music, and art. After one too many celebrity artistic missteps, Ringo’s paintings are a colourful reminder that fame can sometimes lift rather than annoy.
If you’re lucky enough to be in Las Vegas this September, STARR ART isn’t just another gallery show; it’s a mini celebration of life, play, and a little Beatle magic. It looks cheerfully authentic, and maybe exactly the refresher your (rubber) soul needs right now.
(Image credit: Ringo Starr – photo by Scott Robert Ritchie.)
STARR ART runs September 5–October 15 at Animazing Gallery, Las Vegas. More info: Animazing Gallery and Ringo Starr Official.