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TALENT: Paul Stillwell with some of the portraits he has painted

A Poole artist who honed his skills painting his idols has built a collection of 15 portraits signed by the stars.

Paul Stillwell, of Forest Road, has had his canvasses autographed by likes of the Dalai Lama, Johnny Depp and the Rolling Stones.

And his unusual hobby, which can mean long waits at film premiers and stage doors, has inspired him to follow a new career.

The 39-year-old, who took up painting after the sudden death of his mother two years ago, now hopes to make a living out of portraits.

He said: "It's been a lot of hard work and a lot of travelling, but I've met some really nice people.

"One of the best results was Dustin Hoffman at the recent premier of Kung Fu Panda at Leicester Square in London. I waited for seven hours and when I met him he said you've got great talent' and signed it "To Paul, a real artist, Dustin Hoffman".

"I was really over the moon with that - it was something very special."

Self-taught artist Paul who works from photos, said the painting had helped him overcome his depression.

He added: "It's kept my mind occupied and given me goals to head towards - that's helped a lot. It takes about 50 hours to do a portrait - but it's very rewarding.

"It's a huge buzz meeting celebrities and seeing their faces - their genuine reaction to the work is lovely."

7:09pm Sunday 7th September 2008

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