Heavy Metal Meets Fine Art

We are thrilled to announce a very special upcoming feature for Neil Helyard. Legendary Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi has selected Neil’s mixed media painting, Ballet 2, as his all-time favourite artwork for an exclusive piece in Country Life magazine.

The highly anticipated column will be published in the magazine’s 7th October edition.

Country Life’s favourite painting feature is a prestigious and celebrated column. By participating, Iommi joins an exceptional roster of prominent figures who have previously shared their most treasured artworks with the magazine’s readers, including Her Majesty Queen Camilla, Sir David Attenborough, and David Beckham.

It is an incredible honour to see Ballet 2 resonate so deeply with a pioneer of British music. The contrast between Iommi’s heavy metal legacy and the delicate, expressive nature of Neil’s 21x21” mixed-media ballet portrait makes this selection particularly compelling.

What caught the music legend’s eye?

We don’t want to give too much away just yet! This is just a taster of what is to come. Once the magazine hits the shelves on the 7th of October, we will be publishing a full follow-up article right here on the news page, sharing exclusive details and Tony Iommi’s personal thoughts straight from the column piece.

In the meantime, you can view Ballet 2 in the gallery here.

Check back in October for the full story!