Story

This picture was painted during January 2007. Without doubt Eric Clapton is a legend. This painting has become a favourite amongst my personal friends and other observers of my work.

The thing is, I didn’t have to wait long to meet him, compared to all of the others so far. I remember I was with a few other friends and we waited at Sydney airport hoping to catch Eric coming through the terminal. When I arrived there it was bit chaotic due to the fact that there were a number of possible flights Eric could be on. Worse still, they were all coming through different terminals. I had to run up and down the airport with my painting tirelessly for about 4 hours. Meanwhile, every middle aged man I saw in glasses was beginning to take on their own ‘Eric Clapton’ appearance as I waited expectantly.

Eventually I noticed a bunch of guys come out of one of the terminals who looked like they were in some kind of a band. I approached them, and holding my painting I asked, “do you know who this is?”, they smiled and told me Eric had arrived and would be out shortly. I stood with about seven of those chauffer drivers at airports who hold name cards waiting for passengers to collect. So there I am, not with a name of the person im waiting for, but with a painting of him instead. Suddenly I see, another Eric Clapton walking down the concourse alone, pushing his own trolley of luggage, looking a little tired but otherwise remarkably like any other regular looking passenger.

This kind of threw me as to whether or not it was really him. But I decided it must be and I walked towards him holding the painting and asked if he could sign it for me. He stopped, had a look and then took my pen and signed. I said to him that I would like to paint for him and he asked me for a business card, hurriedly I wrote my details on the back of an envelope I had and gave them to him, saying goodbye and thanking him.