He 's a Grammy-winning musician , with a band that 's brought in hundreds of millions of dollars from touring , and to cap it off , his latest release , `` Away From the World , '' just topped the Billboard album charts . But Dave Matthews was still frightened when it came to showing his art in a professional New York exhibit . `` I 've always drawn and painted , but as my own thing , '' the musician said . `` I 've never done anything as ambitious as this . '' The result of the singer 's ambition is `` Itica Pritica '' ( the `` C '' sounds like a `` K '' ) , an exhibition of more than 20 silk-screened works by Matthews and close friend Beezy Bailey at the Robert Miller Gallery in Chelsea . `` I 'm very afraid of things like this , '' Matthews said . `` For years , Beezy has said , 'Come on , let 's do something together . ' `` A fellow South African , Bailey knew just what to say to get Matthews over his fears and into the gallery. `` 'No one 's ever died making a painting , ' I told him , '' recalled Bailey , an artist with more than 30 years ' experience . The paintings , on display until April 13 , may have taken only two weeks to complete , but they reveal some of the singer 's personal feelings to the world , according to Matthews . He says his favorite piece , covered with meticulous etchings , displays his compulsive side while other works show his hatred for the poaching of the African rhino . The art is not all serious . Like classic Matthews lyrics , there are works celebrating the idea of `` Eat , drink and be merry . '' The `` fat man , '' an alter ego for Bailey , appears as an explorer in many of the pieces . `` I just ca n't get enough of him . I ca n't . When we did anything , I 'd say , 'Let 's put the fat man on it , ' `` Matthews said . `` I wo n't apologize for the fat man . I wo n't apologize for the fact that we used him so much . He 's glorious . '' Matthews said getting over this first artistic hump might open the floodgates for more art shows . `` Of the points in my life that I 'll look back on as monumental to me , this will definitely be one , '' he said . The famous singer might be OK with his mug all over TV and film , but he apparently is a bit apprehensive when it comes to his face on his art . One piece has his face plastered more than 20 times throughout . The work sIts sequestered in the back , and Matthews joked about it coming to an untimely end . `` I hate it , '' he said . `` If there 's a fire in the building , leave that s**t in ! ''
Dave Matthews says he was nervous about displaying his art in a New York exhibit . More than 20 of silk-screens by Matthews and Beezy Bailey are at a Hell 's Kitchen gallery . The exhibit might open the floodgates to more art shows , the singer says .