Story

I was looking forward to painting Ozzy and originally I had wanted to paint a larger painting, depicting him through time and the different stages of his career, he’s certainly got a lot of character and has changed a lot over time. However, from seeing how jittery and “ out of it “ he can be I was concerned that Ozzy would be a difficult subject to try and meet, I had visions of myself calling out to him and him wondering where the voice is coming from, so I decided to stick with a single portrait so as to not put in too much time only to fail in meeting him.
So as March 2008 arrived I was ready to meet up with Ozzy and quickly learnt where he was staying whilst in Sydney, I arrived mid afternoon at the hotel and by complete chance as I was walking to the hotel doors, who do I meet…Jack Osbourne! We chatted and I explained that I was an Artist hoping to meet with his Dad, I had painted the same portrait twice and I showed this to Jack saying that I want to give one to his Dad and ask him to sign the other for me. Jack thought this was fair enough and he actually went back into the hotel to take the portrait to his dad along with a letter I had written explaining who I am and what I was doing. When Jack came back within a few minutes he told me that he had taken the painting and letter to his Dads room who was out of the hotel at that time, however he had left it there. I decided to wait a while for Ozzy, but saw no sign of him and opted to return the next day and try again. This night I arrived late hoping to see Ozzy arrive back from his gig, sure enough that time came around, as the cars arrived with Ozzy inside I stood and held my painting out hoping to get Ozzie’s attention through the tinted windows. Sharon Osbourne appeared first and came over to me and said that Ozzy had gotten my painting and letter, She said she liked the portrait and that Ozzy will talk to me shortly. After a few minutes Ozzy finally got out the car and walked over to me and a few other fans who had been waiting, he smiled and shook my hand and said “ you must be the guy from Birmingham “ (my birth place as is Ozzies) which I had explained in my letter. It was very surreal as he chatted to me about this town where we were both from, he signed my portrait and posed for a photo with me, then signed a couple of fans records and suddenly decided he’d had enough and turned away for the direction towards the hotel doors in his very comical state of disorientation.