Art Lovers! Christie Brinkley and John Mellencamp Make First Public Appearance Together

Suzy Byrne
·Editor, Yahoo Entertainment
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John Mellencamp and Christie Brinkley at the opening of his art exhibit, The Isolation of Mister, at ACA Galleries in NYC on Oct. 21. (Getty Images)

There was more on display than paintings at the opening of John Mellencamp’s art exhibit on Wednesday. The full-time rocker/part-time painter brought along his new girlfriend, Christie Brinkley.

The musician and model, who were first linked last month, posed for photos together among his paintings at ACA Galleries in NYC. Brinkley looked more comfortable in front of the cameras (of course!), but the “Jack & Diane” singer relaxed when he didn’t think the cameras were fixed on him.

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(Getty Images)

Or maybe Mellencamp, 64, just wanted his work, not his relationship, to be the focus of the evening. While he’s known for making hits about country living, he is “also an accomplished painter who has seriously pursued painting for over 35 years,” according to a description of his exhibit, which is called The Isolation of Mister. “His imagery comes from the same sources as his music: the plight of the working class, oppressive authority, and social justice.“

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(Getty Images)

Brinkley, 61, and Mellencamp were first spotted together on a dinner date in New York City in early September. It was her ex-husband Billy Joel who confirmed the romance. During a concert at Madison Square Garden on Sept. 26, he sang "The Longest Time,” which is about Brinkley, and then said to the crowd, “And now she’s dating John Mellencamp.”

Having been in showbiz for most of their lives, Brinkey and Mellencamp both have several marriages — and a few famous exes — between them. The mother of three has been married four times with her last husband, architect Peter Cook, infamously cheating on her with a teenager. She was also linked to Paul McCartney in 2007.

As for Mellencamp, the father of five was married three times, including to the model Elaine Irwin. He started dating Meg Ryan in 2011 after his last divorce. The on-again/off-again couple split over the summer.

Whether Christie and John will last is anyone’s guess, but we’d say they’ll be good to go as long as she’s not a lover who drives him crazy. He totally hates that.