Best-known as the face-painting, groupie-bedding frontman of the rock band Kiss, Paul Stanley has spent the past five years building a career as an abstract painter. Stanley’s vivid, colorful works include paintings of hearts, stars and even the Statue of Liberty, hardly subject matter you’d expect from the man who co-wrote “Lick It Up” and “Rock and Roll All Nite.” Stanley will present some of these paintings today and tomorrow at the Wentworth galleries in Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale, respectively. Joanie Cox recently talked to the rocker about his art, Lady Gaga and why kids like Kiss.
When did you learn to paint?
I discovered I wanted to paint about 10 years ago. Whether or not somebody can paint is really subjective. I started painting because I wanted another outlet and another way to express myself. I didn’t do it with the expectations of showing it to anybody. I was doing it purely for myself. When people saw some of the pieces in my house, they wanted to know who did them. Ultimately, I ended up doing a show. Besides being really gratifying, it was also really successful, so that started the ball rolling. I’ve done about 20 shows since then.
Have you done any sculpture?
I’ve done some sculpture but I really haven’t had time to focus on it. Primarily, I’ve been involved with painting. It’s something that keeps surprising me in terms of where it’s going for me. It’s very interesting because I’ve been, in anybody’s criteria, extremely successful with art. It’s interesting because I’ll never be a starving artist. I’m really developing in front of people. For a lot of reasons, success came very quickly so it’s interesting to develop in front of an audience or a group of collectors and people who appreciate what I’m doing. My criteria from the beginning was always to not get involved with the minutia of depicting detail as much as depicting emotion. Interestingly, that seems to work for other people, too. Because, again, I painted for myself but clearly the connection has been quite broad-based.
Who buys your paintings?
It’s interesting because obviously, my success gets my foot in the door. But as I’ve said before, you can still slam the door on my foot. You ultimately can’t survive on notoriety in a different field. There are people who come to the gallery who have never been to a Kiss concert, and it’s an interesting cross section because there are also people coming who’ve never been to a gallery before and I think that’s terrific. I think that the arts in general have a snob and very elitist kind of impression. There’s a lot of snobbery in it and it intimidates the average person into not wanting to experience it, which is a shame because it hurts everybody. When people don’t go to theater because they think that it’s for people in tuxedos and white gloves, it’s only slitting the throat of actors and people in theater. When people don’t go to galleries because they think they have to know something, that’s something that’s propagated by critics who make a living by making people think they have to look to them for an understanding or the criteria for what makes something good.
What do you think is good art?
Something is good because you like it and nothing more, and that’s all you need. You don’t need to justify why you like something. And if somebody else loves something and you don’t, what good is it to you? Critics should see themselves more as entertainers. They have no diploma for what they’re doing and they’re creative writers. To put any more stock in what they’re saying than you would in anyone else is your loss.
I hear you’re doing a children’s show with Gene Simmons.
Right now we’ve just made a deal to do a cartoon Kiss show, and who better than us? Truth be told, Kiss is so far beyond a rock band at this point. Rock bands make music. Phenomenons impact society and the way we live. After 35 years, it’s interesting to go to a Kiss concert and see kids from 3 to adults of 73, as opposed to some bands where people feel it’s purely theirs or their age group’s. Kiss concerts are more about a tribal gathering — it’s about people who have the same point of view and they share it together. So it’s unlike any other concert. We just finished a world tour and we’re back out starting in May in Europe again doing stadiums and arenas over there. So it never ends.
Do you put on your own makeup?
You betcha. Don’t you? It’s great. It’s a very reflective time, kind of like a fighter in the locker room before a fight warming up. We’re putting on the war paint and getting ready for battle.
Have you ever played Kiss’ music on Guitar Hero?
I haven’t and I’m sure there are people who are much, much better than I am. However, you have to go pretty far to beat me at my own game when you strap on the real thing.
I read you’re a fan of Lady Gaga.
I think she’s terrific and the real deal. And there’s always stuff that comes along that’s interesting or catches you momentarily, but I think what she’s doing goes a lot deeper. I really think that she is what she lives. And she is what she creates. And it’s impressive and refreshing to see something that’s that cool and that deep.
Will Kiss do another tour of North America?
Yes. Quite honestly I have to decide if and when. As far I know, it’s still impossible to be in two places at once. As much as I try, I have to pick and choose.
Contact Joanie Cox at jcox@citylinkmagazine.com.
