Ronnie Wood Commemorates 50 Years in the Rolling Stones with a Painting

After taking a break from touring, the Rolling Stones spent the past year collaborating with producer Andrew Watt on new material following their 2023 album Hackney Diamonds and overseeing the extensive reissue of their 1976 record Black and Blue. This hiatus coincided with Ronnie Woods 50th anniversary as an official member of the band.

To celebrate, Wood unveiled a series of portraits of the band members, including the late Charlie Watts, which he calls the Paint it Black collection. Limited edition prints are available on Woods website and are also displayed at the Redhouse Originals Gallery in Harrogate, England.

Woods passion for visual art began in childhood, even before he started playing guitar. He explains, My love of music and art feed each other. When I play guitar on stage, I envision new paintings. When I paint, I do it to music.

Over the years, Wood has created portraits of musical legends such as Fats Domino, Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and John Lydon. However, a significant portion of his work centers on his bandmates in the Rolling Stones. He has crafted colorful depictions of their setlists and drawn Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, and himself countless times.

The Paint it Black series was created entirely from memory. Wood shares, I wanted to capture the energy of Mick, Keith, Charlie, and myself, along with the thousands of live shows weve shared. My goal is for fans to experience the music through these paintings.

Honoring Charlie Watts was especially emotional. Wood recalls, Losing Charlie was devastating. He was the heart of the Stones. The last time I saw him, we watched horse racing on TV in the hospital room we called the Stones suite. He wanted us to continue touring and trusted Steve Jordan to carry on in his stead. Playing with him was a joy.

Wood joined the Rolling Stones in 1975 after stints with Faces and the Jeff Beck Group. Reflecting on his milestone, he says, Its hard to believe Ive been a Stone for 50 years. Joining the band felt like coming home. I still love being part of this journey.

Although the Stones havent announced official plans for 2026, they wrote nearly 30 songs for Hackney Diamonds and only included 12 on the album. Rumors suggest a European stadium tour could take place next summer, and Wood would be part of it, marking his fifty-first year with the band. He concludes, Its been such a part of my life, I cant imagine doing anything else. I truly feel like a Stone.

Author: Maya Henderson