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John Murray Press to publish Billy Connolly's new book The Accidental Artist
John Murray, an imprint of John Murray Press, is set to publish Billy Connolly’s new book, entitled The Accidental Artist: Drawings & Stories, this October.
Featuring more than 200 of Billy Connolly’s artworks alongside accompanying stories from the beloved comedian, actor, storyteller and artist, The Accidental Artist welcomes the reader into the visual world of Billy Connolly.
Connolly conjures a land of fantastic beasts, mysterious inventions and blissful calm using elegant, simple lines. According to John Murray, some drawings are charmingly simple, while others feel complex, strange or rebellious. Through them, Connolly will offer glimpses of his childhood and his Scottish homeland, and the book promises to take readers on journeys to far-flung places, and share in his life-long obsession with music, wildlife and fashion.
The book will be published in crown quarto hardback, full-colour throughout, with Billy’s unique signature sprayed on the outer edge of every book.
Nick Davies, managing director at John Murray Press, acquired world rights direct from Billy Connolly. The Accidental Artist will be published in hardback on 24th October 2024, with a "high profile PR and an unmissable marketing campaign".
Billy Connolly said: "My drawings started by accident. I was on tour in Montreal a few years ago and found myself sheltering from the pishing rain in an art store. I went in to get dry and came out with an armful of felt-tip pens and a sketchbook, then went straight back to my hotel room and started to draw. I’ve never looked back. People think I paint or draw things on purpose. I don’t, I just draw. It is a portal for my imagination. And, just like my stand-up, I never know where it will lead."
Connolly’s three previous books with John Murray Press – Tall Tales & Wee Stories, Windswept & Interesting and Rambling Man – have all been major bestsellers with combined sales of over two million copies across all formats.
This spring saw the BFI re-release of the intimate fly-on-the-wall documentary of Billy’s groundbreaking 1975 tour of Dublin and Belfast, "Billy Connolly: Big Banana Feet" and, coinciding with publication this autumn, a major new BBC Arts documentary with first-person interviews, a personal archive and rarely-seen performances will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Nick Davies said: "The Accidental Artist is something completely fresh – a beautiful explosion of art, wild imagination and storytelling. It is a very special book from a very special man."
John Murray is an imprint of John Murray Press, whose parent company is Hachette UK.
