"A picture is worth a 1000 words" goes the old saying. But for LA artist Alex Schaefer, a picture is worth a few visits by the Los Angeles Police Department, an arrest, and a spike in sales of the painter's works. 

Schaefer has found his artistic calling by portraying major US banks, including Chase and Bank of America, on fire. But the works are not without their detractors. 

His works were thrust into the artistic spotlight after multiple interrogations by the police regarding the artist's intentions went viral. Needless to say, sales of his paintings became a hot commodity on Ebay, some selling for as much as $10,000. 

But does Schaefer wish to see the raging infernos in his paintings come to life? Does he thrive on the controversy his works produce? According to Schaefer, the naysayers who label him a "terrorist" have misinterpreted his works completely.