Courtney Devores from The Charlotte Observer spoke to KISS' PAUL STANLEY regarding his other artistic outlet - painting. Here are a few excerpts from the chat:

The Charlotte Observer: Have you always been a visual artist as well as a musician?

Stanley: "From the time I was very little, according to others, I was fairly gifted in art. I wound up in New York City going to the (Fiorella H. LaGuardia) High School of Music & Art, which was the sister school to the school that "Fame" was about. I went there for art but was drawn to music."

The Charlotte Observer: When did you start painting?

Stanley: "About six years ago, I was going through a divorce. My best friend said, 'You need to paint.' I had never spent any time painting. I went out and bought canvases and paints, and went to work. It became a really powerful emotional journey. It allowed me to delve into parts of myself that were more easily painted than spoken. I purposely put aside the idea of trying to depict anything in a lifelike way. The idea of making something overly realistic for me takes away the (painting's) emotional power."

The Charlotte Observer: So why the KISS portraits?

Stanley: "The portraits of the band, I did because the KISS fans would enjoy it. I wouldn't want to make a large time commitment to doing more of that. That was really something I did as a tip of the hat."

The Charlotte Observer: How do you keep a gallery appearance from becoming a fan fest?

Stanley: "It's important to let everybody know up front that this isn't an autograph session. There is a time and place for that, and an art gallery isn't it. Obviously, fans will show up. I think it's a great way to introduce people to art who wouldn't necessarily be exposed to it."

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