Bono & The Edge

U2

Painted in February 2009

Acrylic on canvas - 30 inch x 24 inch

£3,500

Autographed by Bono & Edge in February 2009

The Edge

I read that U2 may be appearing at the BRIT awards at Earl’s Court in London, 15th February 2009.

Growing up in the 1980’s I was a huge fan U2’s early music and saw them live on a couple of occasions in the 80’s but never met them.

I decided to paint their portrait and see if I could meet them at the awards. I worked extremely hard for over 40 hours, producing what I feel is one of my best portraits, particularly of Bono.

On the day of the awards I left home at 3am and I drove up to London, arriving at Earl's Court at 6am. There was very limited space for fans to watch the celebrities arrive, with small segregated pens for people to stand in.

I was fortunate to get a spot at the front of a barrier in a pen with about 50 fans.

I waited all day there. When the celebrities arrived, around 6pm, I was getting extremely crushed on all sides, although I held my painting over the barrier to protect it.

Unfortunately, the only member of U2 who appeared on the red carpet was The Edge, the others went in through a back entrance.

The Edge saw my painting and raised his eyebrows and gave a big smile and came over to me and kindly signed it.  Although he used his own black pen and signed on a black area of the painting, but the signature is still visible.

I was exhausted after waiting for 12 hours and being crushed in the crowd for hours. I tried to film The Edge signing my painting but in all the chaos I wasn’t able to get my camera focused on him and it didn't record it. Luckily, photographer Richard Goldschmidt was next to me and a wonderful photo of the The Edge signing it.

Bono

A couple of weeks later I read that U2 were giving a free short concert on the roof of the BBC Radio centre in London, in the evening of 27th February.

So on that day I left home at 5am and arrived early in London as U2 were to be interviewed on radio at midday..

Bono arrived at 10.30am, there were a small group of fans waiting for him and he kindly stopped and chatted with everyone and signed autographs. When he saw my painting he smiled and came over to sign it.

To my surprise he wrote a fabulous inscription:

"Even better than the real thing.. Bono"

Later, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen arrived but sadly they refused to sign autographs for their fans.

But it was wonderful to get such a nice signature from Bono.

I stayed in London until the evening and watched their free concert.

Below is the film of Bono signing the portrait. The film includes the photos of The Edge signing, Adam and Larry arriving, and clips of the rooftop concert in the evening.