Artist inspired by Ed Sheeran’s painting set to hold first exhibition aged 64

An artist who was inspired to pick up a paintbrush after Ed Sheeran donated a painting to a charity auction she helped to create is to hold her first art exhibition at the age of 64.

Gina Long, founder of the former children’s charity GeeWizz in Suffolk, which closed in 2023, said that something about the singer songwriter’s colourful abstract painting Dab 2 2020 “stayed with me”.

Sheeran, 35, donated Dab 2 2020 to an auction in 2020 which helped charities including GeeWizz.

I had no formal training, no grand plan, and no expectation of where it might lead. Three years later, after receiving commissions from around the world I have created a body of work that is so deeply personal, that literally came from waking up one morning knowing I had to paint

The artwork fetched £40,000.

Ms Long, of Fornham St Martin, Suffolk, said that Sheeran’s painting was “created in a Jackson Pollock-inspired style” and “something about seeing creativity expressed so freely stayed with me”.

She said she “never planned to become an artist” but was now holding her first exhibition at the age of 64.

“After the auction, I ordered some canvases, set up a space in my greenhouse, and simply started painting,” she said.

Gina Long created a series of paintings called Square Peg Round Hole after being inspired by a painting that Ed Sheeran donated to a charity auction (Ed Harvey/EFBH Films/PA)

“I had no formal training, no grand plan, and no expectation of where it might lead.

“Three years later, after receiving commissions from around the world I have created a body of work that is so deeply personal, that literally came from waking up one morning knowing I had to paint…

“That was two years ago.”

Her artwork, a series of colourful abstracts, is called Square Peg Round Hole and is being displayed at St Edmundsbury Cathedral in Bury St Edmunds on Wednesday and Thursday.

The painting Dab 2 2020, which was created by Ed Sheeran and sold as part of a charity auction, inspired Gina Long to become an artist herself (Made In Suffolk Legacy Auction/PA)PA Media - Made In Suffolk Legacy Auction

The 32 paintings will be displayed as 16 pairs.

“I think I feel like a square peg in a round hole, having spent so many ever-changing years of my life in the lane that I’ve created for myself, absolutely breaking a lot of unrealistic expectations and for the majority of the time, feeling like you don’t belong,” said Ms Long.

“I’ve moved between business, charity, farming, campaigning, communications and now art.

“Every time I’ve changed direction there have been people who thought it didn’t quite fit.

The painting Dab 2 2020, which was created by Ed Sheeran and sold as part of a charity auction, inspired Gina Long to become an artist herself (Made In Suffolk Legacy Auction/PA)PA Media - Made In Suffolk Legacy Auction

“The irony is that I’ve come to realise at 64 we’re not supposed to fit perfectly into someone else’s idea of who we should be.

“The older I get, the more comfortable I am with being a square peg.

“In fact, I think that’s often where the most interesting things in life happen.”

The exhibition is free for the public to visit.