Artist of the Day: Paul Stanley

Kiss front man-turned-painter, Paul Stanley

 

Merriam Webster defines a "dilettante" as a person having superficial interest in an art or a branch of knowledge.  

 

When one thinks of the traditional, text book dilettante, a dabbler comes to mind; a desultory or superficial enthusiast who jumps from hobby to hobby according to his or her fleeting whims.

 

In this digital age of celebrity worship I believe that we are witnessing a new class of dilettantes: cross-over stars who gain instant acclaim when venturing out of their chosen field and into another. 

 

Take for example the child film star who decides to try his or her hand as a recording artist, or the all-star athelete who aspires to be a rapper. And then there is the "rocker as painter" category, to which Kiss front man Paul Stanley qualifies.

 

I am not suggesting that all trubadors who turn to canvas for expression are to be quickly dismissed. Some, such as Bob Dylan and Jerry Garcia have actually shown promise with a palate and a paintbrush. I will even allow honorable mention for Ron Wood and John Mellenkamp, but I think I will draw the line with the star-faced glam rocker.

 

Stanley: Self portrait or self indulgence?

 

To his credit, Stanley was originally an arts major and graduate of the prestigious high school of Music and Art in New York City. "Paul has returned to his passion for painting, to share with you the deep emotions his art conveys," says a promotional piece from the Wentworth Gallery, where his work was recently exhibited.  Still, I doubt that the show would be creating many ripples in the art community if the focus was on the art and not the artist.

 

I saw Stanley's works on display in a gallery on Prospect Street in La Jolla not long ago. I suppose they were kind of fun and might add some spice to a hip bachelor pad or lusty loft somewhere on LA's wild west side, but I'm not prepared to drop the big ticket price and support an aging rocker's vices with that sort of pricey patronage.

 

Stanley original: Fine art, or Drek?

 

No, I think that good art endures, but portraits by pop glam band members from the 1970s probably won't won't have any lasting impact or significantly appreciating value. Anyway, if I were to invest in celebrity art, I think I might prefer the menacingly moody perspectives of shock rocker Marilyn Manson or the whimsy of Ringo Starr. 

 

I wonder if Keith Haring or David Hockney ever gave it a whirl on the drums or electric guitar? Just curious. 

 

For some samplings of rock stars-turned-artists, click here.