Former hairdresser creates life-like celebrity art

An Aston Villa fan who hung up her hairdressing shears to become an artist has garnered support from her football heroes.

Sue Verity, from Tamworth, Staffordshire, was forced to give up her 20-year career as a hairdresser after suffering a back injury which required surgery.

Determined not to succumb to the injury, she revisited her passion for art and went on to win the BBC Peaky Fan Art competition for her portrait of fictional character, Arthur Shelby, which was then used as part of the advertising campaign for series 5.

She has also had the chance to meet a range of stars from screen and the football pitch, including Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery and captain John McGinn.

After suffering her injury at the age of 35, the mother had to give up her profession and decided to go to art college.

Her first portrait was a depiction of Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean, which she took to a local gallery. She was then asked for a collection of portraits and her career as an artist began to bloom.

For Verity, the first steps in the art industry were challenging as she juggled being a new mother.

She said: "I knew how to paint but I had to learn how to sell, market my work and deal with customers and galleries.

"I worked by myself a lot so you begin to doubt yourself that you can do it.

"Financially it has been very difficult at times especially early in my career. I had to work part-time while I was at art college, run a house, look after my young son, rent a studio and buy art supplies with no guaranteed income. But when it's something you are so passionate about and so determined to make work you find a way."

However, within the 20 years that followed, she went on to paint a number of celebrities including Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher and former Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho.

The Aston Villa season ticket holder has also created portraits of John McGinn, Tyrone Mings and Jack Grealish - all of which have been signed.

The artist added: "I'm a huge Villa fan and it has been an honour to paint the players. It was a pleasure to meet them too, they have all signed the portraits. I'm over the moon that they like them so much.

"When painting I go into a world of my own. I love going into my studio in my garden with my dog Oscar. It's a different world, it's peaceful and I love looking out into my garden and getting inspiration from different things.

"That's where Arthur was developed, which is one of my most famous paintings as it won the Peaky Blinders fan art competition."

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