I've always been quick to identify myself as a creative person. Many of my idols and role models would likely do the same - we are people who thrive on creativity, whether through music or art or writing or a plethora of other art forms. But if one were to dissect the idea of creativity, it becomes clear that your creativity isn't one strict category. It is an umbrella, an overarching theme of your life. This idea is perhaps best exemplified by the number of well-known musicians that are not only beautiful songwriters or vocalists, but are also beautiful artists, skilled with a pen or paintbrush.
Janis Joplin
Janis Joplin undoubtedly oozed creativity and individuality. From her brightly colored feather boas to her big round sunglasses to her distinctly raspy singing voice, she was not one to conform to societal expectations. Perhaps a lesser-known creative endeavor of Joplin’s was her art. The bright and funky singer expressed another side of herself through her paintings, typically done in dark muted colors. Although perhaps atypical to the Janis Joplin the world had come to know, these pieces provided a more complete view of the beloved singer.
"Crucifix" | "Laura" | "Scarecrow" |
Stevie Nicks
Stevie Nicks discovered her talent for songwriting when she was only 16, after having received a Goya guitar for her birthday. Her drawing abilities, however, she would not discover until much later. When her best friend Robin was diagnosed with terminal Leukemia, she began to draw angels, perhaps as a source of comfort for her and her dear friend.
“They're all angels. I only draw angels. I started to draw when my best friend got Leukemia. And that's what she's left me. And so I know she's really excited now because it has finally, after the last 9 years, come to fruition, and people have finally started appreciating it. But I never drew a thing before she got sick. And I drew that - I drew Rhiannon - for her, to stay at the end of her bed so she could see something when I wasn't there. So that she would have something to stare at. And uh - so now I know that Robin is up there and I'm down here and we're both laughing about it because now it's finally come into its own.”
- Stevie Nicks, Off the Record interview with Mary Turner, December 1994
"Rhiannon" | "Firebird" | Untitled |
Ronnie Wood
Ronnie Wood’s artistic abilities are no secret. Not only has he played guitar with both the Faces and The Rolling Stones, but he has also created beautiful portraits of the musicians he works alongside. Often depicting images of the Stones themselves, Wood’s art style is unique to him and a window into the creative mind.
"Beggars Banquet Today I" | "Before The Show I" | "Stones in Sepia III" |
Klaus Voorman
Klaus Voorman has not only played bass with greats like Carly Simon, Lou Reed, and The Beatles, but he is also the mastermind behind many illustrations, including the cover of The Beatles’ album Revolver (which won him a Grammy). Voorman’s art is perhaps some of the most stunning and intricate of any on this list. Not only did he create what some might call masterpieces, but his early work provided an inside look at The Beatles in their Hamburg days. Long before the world succumbed to Beatlemania, Voorman's art provided first-hand accounts of life in Hamburg. He illustrated what life was like for The Beatles when they were still sleeping in German supply closets. His artwork continues to immortalize musicians and pop culture icons, cementing them into history with his beautiful line-work.
"Colorevo" | "Breakfast with John" | "Elvis Meets the Beatles - Pool" |
Paul McCartney
Although John Lennon may have been the Beatle to go to art college and publish books filled with doodles, McCartney has always had a mind for the avant-garde. His paintings exemplify his love for the experimental ideas of the avant-garde in both their content and rudimentary abstractness. While they may not be as sophisticated as Klaus Voorman’s work, McCartney's paintings are a beautiful expression of himself and an extension of his creativity.
"Ancient Connections" | "Unspoken Words" | "Egypt Station" |
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is perhaps best known for his distinct singing voice, harmonica playing, and his head of unruly black curls, but Dylan is an artist in all aspects of his life. From songwriting to poetry to his expressionistic paintings of landscapes and towns, Dylan is undoubtedly a creative. He studied art under Norman Raeben, who urged him to paint life as it was seen and not imagined.
"Rocker" | "Night Time in St. Louis" | "Frank and Buddy" |
Joni Mitchell
In her heyday, Mitchell was the epitome of a Laurel Canyon folk singer, with her guitar and California blonde hair - although she was born and raised in Canada. Her singing and songwriting are renowned, but her lifelong career as a painter is less well-known. Perhaps her most public works are her self-portraits on the covers of her albums Clouds and Turbulent Indigo.
Untitled | "Both Sides Now" | "Self Portrait with Bandaged Ear" |
Jimmy Page
It seems to be a common theme for future musicians to have attended art college at point, and Jimmy Page was no exception. Page's prolific guitar playing isn't the only talent he has up his sleeve - in fact, a key move in his career was when he mixed art and guitars by painting his Fender. He stripped the original paint and created his own psychedelic masterpiece, creating an iconic symbol of his early days in the Yardbirds and the beginnings of Led Zeppelin. While he may never have publicized much of his art, Page himself is shrouded by mystery, often using that to his advantage. It's even been speculated that Page is the artist behind the Led Zeppelin IV inner sleeve (depicting the Hermit, an icon often used to describe Page himself) which has been credited to his friend, Barrington Coleby - of whom no records exist.
Page wearing his hand-painted shirts | Page's psychedelic telecaster | "Barrington Coleby's" The Hermit |
These multifaceted artists perfectly illustrate the idea that creative people are creative in all aspects of their lives. That achieving mastery of one skill will not stop them from creating, for there is no end goal for creative people. Creativity is an innate aspect of how their minds work and how they live. It is a wheel constantly in motion that will only cease when the mind stops working altogether. Creativity extends beyond their niche - their music, their paintings, or their art - and seeps into all aspects of their lives.
Comments