subject: Hockey Art For The Sporting Home [print this page] Hockey is a game for some, a sport for others, a business for some, a dream for others. Hockey is kids playing on a pond in the country or on a frozen city street. It's Olympic players in their prime or Charles Schulz playing for the Diamond Icers, a team for players over the age of 75. As many versions of hockey as there are, artists are inspired by them to create hockey art. The pains and pageantry of hockey, the action and the silences are captured in paintings, sketches, computer graphics, photography and sculpture.
The subject matter represented by hockey artists can be anything from the kids on the pond to the pageantry of international competition. It can also be a portrait of a single player, a captured moment in time or a still life study of a pile of equipment.
The eye of the artist might focus on a face in the crowd, the gleaming edge of a blade on the ice or the tangled colors of uniforms in motion. The theme of a particular piece might be the loneliness of pre-dawn practice, the pain of an injury or the joy of participation.
An artist's attention may zoom in close to capture a small detail such as the space between the puck and the stick a split second before a slap shot. Or the vision may expand to include a player, a team, two teams or two teams and the spectators. The emphasis may be on the human qualities of the players or it may be on the abstract designs created by uniforms, skates and sticks in motion.
Because the subject matter and treatment of hockey is so diverse it is possible to find a work that will please almost anyone or suit any venue or style of decor. A whimsical drawing of small children playing an impromptu game on a frozen city street might be suitable for the children's play room. Perhaps a nostalgic picture of farm kids gathering for a game on a frozen pond could add a nice touch to a youngster's bedroom.
Teenagers love huge bright posters and hockey offers endless subject matter. The emphasis might be on a favorite player or it might be on the action and excitement of the game. From portraits of hockey heroes to team uniforms and logos to teams in play there is something big and colorful enough to stand out in a teenager's room.
Vintage photographs can add to a sense of tradition. A black and white photo of an historic team can add interest to the wall of a study or office. Sometimes the perfect touch for a room is not something for the wall but a three dimensional sculpture. A hockey sculpture in the living room of a sports minded family can be a focal point and make an otherwise ordinary room exciting.
