A YORK musician has had his portrait created for him as a surprise by a local artist.

David John Earl, of Denison Street, is an artist with an airbrush, who goes under the name The Airbrush Earl.

He created the portrait of Stevie Ze Suicide, alias Stevie Roberts from UK Subs, after befriending his musical muse.

David said: “I’ve done a lot of work all over the country.

“I sold my house and moved to Los Angeles and worked there for a bit, and came back here, which is when I met Steve.

“I went to see UK Subs when I was 14 and I loved his style and when I knew he was in York, I got in touch and told him I was into music and we hit it off.

“He said he’d love to have some of my artwork, so I thought I would surprise him.”

Stevie Ze Suicide said: “It was an absolute surprise. It’s lovely.”

David’s distinctive van, which features his own protraits of Heath Ledger’s Joker, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix and Marilyn Monroe, can be seen on the streets of York.

He is currently working on a portrait of musician, producer, and friend of Stevie’s, Trevor Bolder, who died earlier this year.

Trevor, who lived in Little Weighton, near Beverley, was a member of David Bowie’s Spiders From Mars.