The Most Unlikely Celebrity Artists

Image via Complex Original

20. Bob Dylan

Bob Dylan has had a few troubled ventures into the visual art world. On three occasions he has shown off his painting skills—for an exhibit at Gagosian Gallery, on the cover of his 1970 album Self Portrait, and on a recent compilation CD. His art has not won high praise by any means, but he still continues to show of his painting skills.

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19. Rosie O'Donnell

O'Donnell makes abstract oil paintings. She released 27 works at The Gallery at New World Stages in NYC in 2007, and apparently she has made 1,000 in total. She also sold original paintings on eBay, donating the money to the Desmoid Tumor Research Foundation. However, she does admit that she doesn't know much about art. "Madonna used to make fun of me because she would have a painting or photo in her house and I would be like, 'I have that poster!'" she told People in 2003.

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18. Michael Jackson

Although everyone knows his hits, not everyone knows that the King of Pop painted as a child. One of his noted works is a portrait of Charlie Chaplin he made when he was only nine years old. He also made portraits of Frankenstein, Martin Luther King Jr., and Mickey Mouse.

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17. Ringo Starr

The Beatles legend is also known to dabble in visual art. "I started in the late nineties with my computer art. While I was touring it gave me something to do in all those crazy hotels you have to stay in on the road," Ringo said. His work was on display at the Pop International Gallery in New York in a show called "Ringo 2012." His titles come from the file names he saved his creations under on his computer.

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16. Prince Charles

Charles of the Royal House of Windsor is also a painter. He primarily paints landscapes like open fields and villages. He also began making lithographs of his works in 1990. He sells the lithographs to benefit the Prince of Wales Charitable Foundation.

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15. Travis McCoy (and Pete Wentz)

In 2008, Travis McCoy and Pete Wentz collaborated on several works of graffiti-inspired art that were shown at Gallery 1988 in Los Angeles. They worked for two weeks on canvas, paper, and cardboard coated with acrylics. They also used spray paint and adhesives, sometimes with touches of sandpaper. "People are mistaken when they say we're all here on Earth to do one thing," Wentz told the LA Times. "There are narratives you can't fit within time signatures and melodies. I'm combining areas to tell a much larger story." 

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14. Janis Joplin

Although you may not have known that Joplin created visual art, the idea isn't too far-fetched. From ages 12 to 20, Joplin produced various works of visual art. The art has been displayed numerous times alongside other memorabilia of the legendary singer.

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13. Courtney Love

Love made her mark in music with her band Hole and her ex-boyfriend Kurt Cobain, but she also has a foot in the visual art world. At the Fred Torres Collaborations Gallery in NYC, the singer had a solo show entitled "And She's Not Even Pretty (how kitsch)," displaying some of her (unsurprisingly) disturbing sketches. She's also held another collaborative exhibition with David LaChapelle at the Lyman Allyn Art Museum this year.

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12. Bam Margera

The Jackass star isn't someone you would expect to have an artistic side. This year, however, Margera held a sale of his paintings on his property in West Chester, just outside Philadelphia. He painted naked women and buses driving off cliffs, a talent he's been honing for three years.

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11. Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp really enjoys oil painting. As you probably guessed, his scenes are usually eerie as the roles he plays. He's done self-portraits and even a rendering of Keith Richards. In an interview with Vanity Fair in 2009 he said, "What I love to do is paint people's faces, y'know, their eyes. Because you want to find the emotion, see what's going on behind their eyes."

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10. George Bush

Bush does what he calls painting. His artistic interest was first revealed when his email was hacked, unveiling a painting he made of himself in a shower. Then the world saw 12 more strange paintings by the former president, including riveting subjects like a dog, a bunch of grapes, a horse, and a golf course.

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9. Tony Bennett

Tony Bennett began formal training as an art student at the School of Industrial Arts (now known as the School of Art and Design) in Manhattan and continued his studies with private studios and teachers throughout the years. A self-proclaimed "museum freak" he visits museums and galleries all over the world, especially during his extensive concert tours. He also auctioned off a naked sketch of Lady Gaga.

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8. Johnny Cash

Although music legend Johnny Cash is a household name, he didn't think his sketches and paintings would become popular despite working on them for years. Even though he probably didn't have much time for painting, his abstract work is evidence of his artistic inclinations.

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7. Sylvester Stallone

Believe it or not, the star of Rocky has also dipped into the art world. Sylvester Stallone paints in his garage at his house in California. He has painted self-portraits and nudes. He had a solo show in 2010 at the Gmurzynska Gallery in Zurich, showcasing 30 paintings over his 35-year career. "I'm not just painting for painting's sake," Stallone told the Daily Mail. "I want to be truthful."

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6. Brandon Boyd

The Incubus singer is also an avid visual artist. He has had exhibitions and even released books. It was his main hobby before he took off as a musician. He uses a sketchbook, pens, and watercolors to make his works, which are mildly impressive. "One of the things I've learned how to do in my adulthood is facilitate the actual impetus to create something, whether it's to create a song, draw a picture, you know," Boyd told Nylon Magazine.

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5. Marilyn Monroe

Many don't know that Marilyn made a few paintings. The most notable was a watercolor botanical of a red rose. It was inscribed to President John F. Kennedy for his birthday. It reads "Happy Birthday Pres. Kennedy from Marilyn Monroe" in blue ink. In black ink below that inscription, Marilyn wrote "Happy Birthday June 1, 1962/My Best Wishes/Marilyn/Marilyn." It is a mystery why she added the additional signature.

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4. Pierce Brosnan

Brosnan started painting in the '80s when his wife became ill. He kept up his hobby and actually sells his work for a trust under his name that gives money to environmental and women's causes.

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Jim Carrey

If you didn't know, Jim Carrey loves street art. He opened an exhibition in Palm Springs, CA called "Nothing to See Here." He showcased over 40 works, including paintings and a video projection that featured John Mayer's song "One Last Push." "At best, I think an artist's work also stops the viewer from thinking, worrying, or dressing what they are looking at with their mood or interpretation, bringing them into presence as well," Carrey said in a statement.

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2. Lucy Liu

If you like Lucy Liu, we have news for you—out of all the celebs on this list, she's probably one of the most talented! She has a true eye for abstract art, creating some captivating pieces. Liu has painted for years under the name Yu Ling and has also published a book under her own name.

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1. JWoww

Yes, JWoww is the head of this list because who would believe that she can draw? What most don't know about Jennifer Farley is that she attended the New York Institute of Technology to pursue her love of art, but then Jersey Shore got in the way. Before her epic stint in dirty Jersey, JWoww completed various paintings, drawings, and sketches that we have to admit aren't bad.

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