Tesla Rocker Grooves Guitars and Paintbrushes

Sacramento rockers Tesla are currently out on tour this summer with Joan Jett and Styx as the band rocks on after 35-plus years of being together.?

(Wheat) “We look at each other every day and we go, ‘Wow, we’ve been together a long time.'”

I caught up with Tesla’s bass player Brian Wheat backstage this month, where I found him with a paint brush in his hand, putting some color over a photo he had taken on tour that was printed on canvas, an idea brought to him by a gallery owner who liked his photo skills.

(Wheat) “He said you should try painting on your photos, there’s some way you can put paint and enhance them.”

He’s got 25 paintings now, some, which have been featured in the Wentworth Galleries, which has art from other rockers, including Paul Stanley of KISS, Rick Allen of Def Leppard, Ric Ocasek of the Cars, even Peter Max.

When I asked him what he likes better, being up on stage or in front of a canvas, he replied:

(Weat) “Ah ha! Being alive!”

Laura Ingle, FOX News.

Follow Laura Ingle on Twitter: @LauraIngle