MusicRadar

Kiss's Paul Stanley is an artist

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MusicRadar is impressed to hear that Kiss's Paul Stanley will be exhibiting his paintings, from 27 February, at Wentworth Gallery, Hackensack, New Jersey.

MusicRadar is more amazed to learn that, in 2007, Stanley earned $2 million from his artwork. His originals fetch as much as $70,000, with limited-edition prints going to $1,000.

Maybe this shouldn't be a surprise? After all, Paul Stanley has had a lifetime's practice of painting a big black star over his right eye. And that takes talent.

Music and the visual arts have always been comfy bedfellows. Art schools have long been fertile breeding grounds for great bands.

Although Kiss, it should be noted, did not go to art school.

Anyway, on with the exhibitionists!

Rock stars turned painters

Here's the work of Paul Stanley and 13 other musos who mix picks with palettes. These aren't just amateurs; all these musicians have had their paintings exhibited in 'proper' art galleries.

Paul Stanley

Stanley started painting as a 'release' from getting over a painful divorce. He says, "The only thing that I was clear on from the get-go was that I wasn't interested in making a flower pot look like a flower pot." Damn right, this is no flower pot.

Paul Stanley - Untitled

Paul McCartney

Arguments still rage over who was really the 'arty' one in The Beatles. John Lennon did plenty of sketches. Paul McCartney does 'proper' paintings. "I have always enjoyed drawing, often cartoon faces," muses Macca. "I like the line, not necessarily the content. I like quick lines, very spontaneous lines. I like the circle, a couple of eyes, a mouth, and just characters in the faces, so I have done that quite a bit." Fab - this certainly looks 'spontaneous'.

Paul McCartney - Father Figure

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