A gloomy looking photograph of Prime Minister Chretien was on the front page of the newspaper. I stopped to stare in delight. It was one of those photos journalists like to use when they're pretending to be objective. Chretien's distorted face seemed to be lunging out of the shadow, contorted with despair -- the saddest vampire who ever ruled Canada. After marveling for a few minutes, I bought the newspaper. It was exactly the kind of photograph I adore. An emotional, dark, wrinkled, misshapen face. What could be more fun than that?

I kept this painting for many years, then finally snapped one day, and sold it to Patrick Fox, a friend who worked with me.