Ex-Metallica bassist Jason Newsted has an art exhibit that just opened up yesterday at Micaela Gallery in San Francisco. Despite my first reaction of, “Why the fuck aren’t you playing metal right now!?” I have to say, the painting he has on display (titled, Absenthe Won) is actually pretty cool:

I can see how moving from music to painting is a natural process, they’re both creative activities and they both let you express yourself. I’m not sure what this painting is supposed to mean, but it’s obvious now that it would’ve been way cooler if he designed the covers for Load and Re-Load.

Anyways, check out Newsted’s statement from the gallery’s website:

I AM POSSESSED BY AN UNDERCURRENT OF KINETIC ENERGY THAT I HAVE CHANNELED THROUGH PURE ARTISTIC CREATION FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER, BEGINNING WITH CHILDHOOD DRAWINGS AND SONGS, FOLLOWED BY TEENAGE ROCK AND ROLL BASED IDEAS, AND ULTIMATELY, INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED MUSICAL RECORDINGS AND LIVE PERFORMANCES.

WITH THE TITLE OF MOST DECORATED HEAVY METAL BASS GUITARIST OF ALL TIME INTACT, MY PURPOSE HAS SHIFTED FROM MAKING CRAZY AND COLORFUL MUSIC, TO MAKING CRAZY AND COLORFUL PAINTINGS.

I REMAIN AS DISCIPLINED, SELF-MOTIVATED, AND DEDICATED TO MY ART, AS I HAVE BEEN.  IT IS TIME FOR ME TO CLIMB THE NEXT MOUNTAIN, RETAINING PURITY BY WAY OF GENUINE EXPRESSION IN CREATING ART AS MY QUEST.

-JASON NEWSTED, MARCH 25, 2010

It looks like his gallery will be on display throughout May and June. I might have to swing by and learn how to make the “metal to art” transition…well, at least for a few minutes.

-DS