Paul McCartney is mourning the loss of his close friend and longtime collaborator, British artist Brian Clarke, who passed away recently at the age of 71.
The Beatles legend took to Instagram to share a touching tribute, describing Clarke as “a dear friend.” McCartney, 83, reflected on their decades-long friendship, revealing that his family had known him “for years.”
“Sadly, he passed away recently but we all have lovely memories of the times we had together. We always laughed,” the musician wrote. “Brian often had some great artistic endeavours to show or talk to us about. He made some stained glass windows for us and did a great collaboration with Linda using her photographs to make stained glass pictures out of.”
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He continued, pointing out some of the artist’s career accomplishments: “He was commissioned to make stained glass for Bahrain Airport (Concordia), Stansted Airport (a collaboration with Sir Norman Foster), and Queen Victoria Street Arcade in Leeds, and these are just some of the works he was famous for.”
“Ever since I met him in the ’70s with Robert Fraser the art dealer, we always had the best times together. We will all miss him but have fond memories of him to cherish and his incredible artwork to remind us of Brian himself,” McCartney concluded the heartfelt note.
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In the comment section, fans sent love and condolences his way.
“I’m sorry for your loss, Paul 🤍,” one said, while Rita Wilson added her own sadness at hearing the news, communicating she, too, was “sorry.”
“When a friend put his/her arms around us and we hold the hand on the other side…it’s true friendship and love. Sorry for your lost, Paul,” a third person noticed, referencing the picture of the longtime pals together.
Someone else chimed in, “Sorry for the loss Paul, lots of love ❤️.”
Clarke was best known for his breathtaking stained glass work and bold visual art that spanned across architecture, fashion, and stage design. His collaborations with McCartney were both personal and professional—Clarke designed album artwork for the rocker’s 1982 solo album Tug Of War, per The Independent, and even worked with him on set designs for tours and exhibitions.
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