Story

When Sting announced that The Police were reforming to do a world tour it was going to be impossible for me to resist trying to meet them and get a signed painting. They announced their Australian dates well in advance giving me 6 months to do a painting.

The first painting I did of the Police I decided to try something a little different and chose to paint the band as they looked during their ‘hey day’ in the 80’s. As I was working on this part of the painting I thought it might be a cool idea to try and overlay with images of how they appear today, and so I decided to keep the background more kinda ghostly, faint looking, with the other part of the painting being more vivid, when it was first done I wasn’t sure if it looked to great, but since then ive received all good feedback so im getting used to it and now I quite like it.

Once id finished the first painting, after succumbing to situations where my subjects seemed to be starting to request to keep my paintings I decided I’d paint stuff twice just incase it starts to happen all the time, however I was a bit afraid to do the exact same portrait again so I painted a different one, problem being then, is deciding at the end which painting do I like most or will they like most !

So finally Concert time arrived and Sting & The Police were in town, and I was hoping more than most ive met to really find The police and get the painting autographed.. Finding them became reasonably easy, it became quite public news where Sting was staying in Sydney as he was here for sometime before the show holidaying with his family. I decided to wait until concert dates to try and meet him instead of hassling him during his vacation time.

The day before the bands gig I arrived early, 8am in fact and began waiting. Only a couple of fans turned up, but then slowly so did the paparazzi. Not a good thing ! Ive learnt that more often than not, the media & paparazzi tend to scare off the celebrity, therefore making it even more difficult to get an autograph or a photo. I finally saw my first sighting of Sting around midday heading into a restaurant of the hotel. He sat right in an open window just off the footpath, alone, on a quiet mid afternoon, so slowly I approached holding up a painting, the whole time feeling uneasy about it, it’s a golden rule not to approach famous people when they are about to dine, this really is kinda invading privacy a bit too much. But I broke the rule with regret,. Sting looked at me and I told him id like to offer one of my paintings as a gift, as he smiled he said something back I couldn’t quite get, he gave me a thumbs up then stood and walked away clearly requesting a table elsewhere, I felt awful, like id driven him away from a beautiful Sydney water view into a dark closed corner, which is where he ended up., “ that’s it “ I thought, ive blown it. I walked away and took my waiting position again at the front of the hotel, and again saw Sting pass through the hotel, not looking outside once.

Some 3 hours later as I was alone, Stewart Copeland walked casually out the front with one security guard, I walked straight over to him, held a painting up and greeted him, he was very relaxed and friendly to me and I offered him a painting and asked if he would sign one for me, he said sure, and asked which painting he could have, I told him to choose, and then he signed for me. As he was about to take the painting I asked if I could hold onto it until id met Sting & Andy then I would deliver the painting, he smiled and was fine about it, said goodbye and walked off into the city. So 6 hours since the start I got my first autograph.

Throughout the day, Sting came out another 4 times ! Each time paparazzi were hanging about shooting photos, causing Sting to just get instantly into his car and be whisked away, use decoys, take back doors exits and all kinds of stuff it was terrible, each time I tried to get his attention, and it seemed not very often that he looked and I thought to myself there is no way this will ever happen, all I wanted was the media to leave ! My legs and feet were shattered, I was hungry as all hell and dying to for a **** ! but I stood my ground and persisted.

At about 7pm Suddenly we got our first sighting of Andy Summers, he hurried straight into his waiting car parked right at the front door, like literally in the door of the hotel ! They couldn’t get it any closer im sure. There was no way we could get remotely close but we held up the paintings and we saw him look at us, point and smile with a big thumbs up as paparazzi flashes were going off all over the place !

By 9pm, now 13 hours later ! Paparazzi still around, Stings driver took the car he was travelling in and drove into an underground car park, so now we felt it was well and truly over, They’d caused Sting to not even want to walk out the front doors, and therefore the driver and security were doing all they could to avoid us seeing Sting.

At about 10pm, the paparazzi raced off in a sudden hurry ! I guess something else exciting was about to happen elsewhere to my relief ! Just after they were gone, we stood by the car park entry gate and waited for Stings car to come back from the underground, within minutes it did, and we held the paintings up hoping to get some attention, there were now only 3 of us waiting. As the car came out slowly we noticed a window open at the back of the car and slowly the car grinded to halt just before us. YES ! Sting appeared at the window, leaning forward he smiled and said directly to me, “ come over here “, you have no idea how great this moment felt after 14 hours ! I walked to him and he said, “ would you like me to sign that for you ? “, obviously I was like, “ Yes please”. As he was signing for me, he said my paintings were beautiful and I told him I was going to give the other one to him and his band once id met Andy, also telling him that Stewart and has asked for it. He was very relaxed and made me feel great, it gave me a massive confidence boost knowing that Sting liked my painting. I wanted so much to request a photo, but as he was still in the car and after all of the days events I didn’t want to push my luck, there’s a limit when you have to tell yourself, “enough is enough” and you don’t want to annoy or upset your hero, so I chose to not to ask. The 3 of us let him leave after he signed for us and we were living the moment of extreme fun ! Straight away all the pain in my feel and legs, and my hunger were gone, this was worth it !

So now it was just Andy we needed, I was thinking whether or not to leave and try the next day but I knew he was out and had to come back some time, id waited all day now I figured I may as well go to the end.

At about midnight, the place was almost silent, no cars, no security, no media, infact just 3 of us fans and one concierge guy at the hotel door. The car we were waiting for appeared and parked in the driveway, with all the quietness around we walked slowly and calmly to the car as Andy emerged from it. He was very relaxed an pleasant as we asked for autographs. He signed for us and I told him I was giving him a painting for him and the band as a gift, and he appeared surprised, and said that I was very kind. With all the ease I asked for a photo, and he did so, then walked into the hotel carrying a piece of art I painted for him and his band The Police ! It felt unreal.

And so a very special painting for my collection, one of the toughest ive tried to meet and get signed, in all 16 hours of waiting ! But to me worth it all.

click here to view The Police's gift portrait