subject: Sports Artists Create Magic Via Sports Art Baseball Paintings [print this page] Sports art recreates a moment in time so that it can be remembered by fans forever. Sports artists have the opportunity to alter these moments, adjust them and recreate the catch, home run, basket, touch down and goal, in a perspective that has yet to be seen. In other situations, such as The Conlon Collection which was painted by sports artist Adam Port, the baseball paintings were realistic versions of the original artwork taken by famous baseball photographer Charles M. Conlon.
Sports artwork is a challenge for the exact same reasons. The artist has an obligation and responsibility to the fans and athletes to recreate a photo or a moment in time, and either insert their creativity to produce a piece of art that will be embraced by those who view and buy the artwork. When Port took the Conlon photos and turned them into paintings, the challenge was a bit different, but not for Adam.
The sports artist has been creating baseball paintings, football paintings, basketball paintings and celebrity portraits that look so real to the human eye, that you might not be able to tell the difference between the painting and the picture, even if you were to stand a foot away. The only way to tell, if at all possible, would be to stand around an inch away to see the brush strokes.
Sports has a huge impact on peoples lives, as Port knows as being an athlete when he grew up, and being sports as well. Being from New York, and hockey fan as well, I know that every Ranger fan will remember the night that they broke the 54 year curse and won the Stanley Cup. Port made a hockey painting of Rod Gilbert on the cover of Sports Illustrated and Wayne Gretzky in his New York Ranger jersey, but has yet to been asked to do a painting of that June night in 1994. If he was ever asked to do so, I can say from a personal stand point, that hed have the weight of NYR fans and the city of New York on his shoulders, and I have no doubt that he wouldnt let us down.
Sports artists live with a heavy weight on their shoulders, also know as the fans. As with any sports event, the outcome can go either way. If its not up to par, they become the enemy. If the artwork is great, the artist becomes a hero. Port has become a hero to sports fans and athletes, and for that, we salute you.
