OPENING DAY
I’ve been a baseball fan all of my life. As a child, my grandfather would take me to
New York Mets games every summer. We would sit in the mezzanine section of
Shea Stadium and I’d watch Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman, John Sterns, Lee Mazzilli
and the rest of the Mets. My grandpa taught me how to keep score. I grew up
rooting for the Mets, thru the bad times of the 1970’s and celebrating with them
during the great times in the 1980’s. As I grew older, my love for baseball also
grew. Any chance I could, I would make trips to the Baseball Hall of Fame and take
in the history of the game.
I love baseball
As an artist, my focus had been as an illustrator. Creating fine art was not
something that I thought to even attempt, until meeting Pat and Jeremy here at
the gallery about fifteen years ago. Jeremy was always encouraging me to
explore my artistic side more and it’s been something I have been doing for a
while now. If you have seen my work through the years, here at River’s Edge, you
know my work has always had a different feel and theme.
Creating art is something that I am passionate about, but combining my love for
art with my love for baseball had not occurred to me, until last summer. My wife
and I have started traveling to watch games with the ultimate goal of visiting
every Major League Baseball stadium. It was during one of these trips, while
taking a tour of Progressive Field in Cleveland, that inspiration struck. While
walking through the press level, a photo of a baseball glove caught my attention.
I stood and stared at it for a bit.
It was just a glove. No background. Not on the field. Just by itself.
I thought there was something iconic about presenting the tools of baseball, in
such a manner. I wanted to try and capture that feeling with these paintings.
This collection transports me to the sights, sounds, smells of the game and the
comfort of being at the ballpark. I hope you enjoy my homage to America’s
favorite pastime.
Play ball!
