At 98 years old, legendary American artist Alex Katz continues to make waves in the art world, not just through his own paintings but by championing the work of other artists. The painter, known for his bold figurative works and iconic portraits of his wife Ada, has donated over 100 paintings by emerging and established artists to Maine's Portland Museum of Art in an exhibition titled "Painting Energy."

Katz's journey began more than 75 years ago when he boldly ignored popular artistic trends to pursue his passion for figurative art. "Most people didn't like my work," Katz recalled. "It was figurative, and everyone was abstract, and everything was pop art. But a lotta people didn't like it." His attitude toward critics was characteristically blunt: "If they liked it, swell. And if they didn't like it, go to hell."

The artist's distinctive style focuses on recognizable figures and objects from the real world, using simple backgrounds and large areas of color to emphasize shapes and outlines. His massive canvases often feature his wife Ada as the subject. "I did the figures on a flat ground," Katz explained. "I did the double portraits of Ada. I did the big heads before anyone. And that's really aggressive. And the big compositions. No one had done anything like it."

Growing up in Queens, New York, Katz attended the Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture in Maine, where he has been refining his technique ever since. The art world has finally caught up to his talent – his paintings now sell for millions of dollars, and exhibitions worldwide have showcased his work, including a major show at New York's Guggenheim Museum in 2022.

While famous for his portraits, Katz is equally renowned for his landscapes, often inspired by the scenic views near his summer studio in Maine. "It's a long way from Queens," he noted, "but it is like Queens. It's all kinda small!" He credits outdoor painting with transforming his artistic approach: "I thought I was connecting with outdoor painting, but actually I was connecting with myself. The painting was no longer cerebral. It was coming from the inside."

Mark Bessire, director of the Portland Museum of Art, praised Katz's consistency and vision: "As the art world has moved in different ways and fashions, Alex has always stayed true to his self. I see his love of artists taking chance and his love of artists emanating that sense of energy that he likes in a painting. He doesn't like a painting because it looks like his or it's figurative. He likes it 'cause it's got the energy, and it pops."

Katz describes his instant reaction to powerful artwork with characteristic directness: "It's just like a pow! You get it right through the air. It's very quick. Sometimes you can get a whole show as they open the elevator door, blink, and they shut it, you know what this painting's about." One work that gave him that "pow" feeling was Katherine Bradford's "Shadows," which is featured in the current exhibition.

Bradford, who didn't begin painting until her 30s and is now 83, was thrilled to learn Katz had purchased one of her works. "I just felt, 'Oh, wow! Maybe I am a little good!' And Alex Katz, he certainly is really good. Good eye, good person," she said. Bradford's pieces now typically sell for tens of thousands of dollars, and she views Katz as a leader in contemporary art: "But in the state of Maine, he's king. And we all look up to him. He decided to use what he had gained to give back to artists, to buy artists' work."

Katz's motivation for collecting other artists' work stems from his own early struggles: "Well, I wanted to help other people who went through the same difficulty that I did, you know? I know every little help I got in that period from 25-35, I really appreciated." He fondly remembers when a paint manufacturer who recognized his early talent provided him with art supplies in exchange for small paintings: "He got five or six little paintings, and I had free paints. But the big thing was someone believed there was something in me."

Despite his age and accomplishments, Katz maintains an intense work schedule, painting seven days a week and continuing to take artistic risks. "Sometime, in about a week, I'll do the first painting of a new series," he revealed. When asked about his excitement for new projects, he admitted: "Excited and frightened. Yeah, I'm scared it really won't work out." Even after decades of success, he still experiences doubt: "I want to go where I'm scared. And the new things might be better, they might be worse, but I have to do 'em."

The "Painting Energy: The Alex Katz Foundation Collection" exhibition runs through September 14 at the Portland Museum of Art, showcasing not only Katz's generous spirit but also his keen eye for recognizing energy and talent in fellow artists across generations.