Harrogate artist 'stunned' when Del Amitri's Justin Currie says he will hang his painting in his home
Harrogate’s renowned ‘Singing Conductor’ and artist says he is thrilled that Justin Currie, the lead singer of Del Amitri, is to hang one of his paintings.
Paul Mirfin, the multi-talented and likable railwayman on the Harrogate-York-Leeds line who first won fame when his band was featured on BBC TV’s Songs of Praise, met Justin recently at the Louder than Words literature festival in Manchester.
The singer-songwriter turned artist has always been a big fan of the Scottish rock band responsible for hits such as Always The Last To Know, Nothing Ever Matters and Roll to Me.
Paul said: “Justin has always been my lyrical hero and has inspired my own music through the years,
"I painted him a abstract portrait and had a great time meeting him in Manchester.
"I was stunned when he said it would be given pride of place on his living room wall.”
After building a musical reputation with his semi-acoustic rock band which appeared on BBC TV's Songs of Praise and sold out Harrogate's Royal Hall, Paul Mirfin developed his artistic side with oil paintings, commissions and prints.
Last year saw him commissioned to paint Harrogate Town AFC’s home shirt and he was also interviewed on BBC TV’s Look North.
He hosts open house studio events at his studio at 10 Brewerton Street, Knaresborough.
Glasgow-born Justin Currie, aged 60, chronicles his life since his diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, on and off stage with Del Amitri, in his bestselling memoir called The Tremolo Diaries.