Mikaela Shiffrin 2014

Mikaela Shiffrin Drawing

American Alpine Skier: Mikaela debuted on the World Cup in 2011 when she was 15 years old. She just competed on the Slalom, and the Giant Slalom in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi Russia. She came in as the favorite to win the Slalom, and by winning became the youngest person in history to win a Winter Olympic Alpine Ski Gold Medal (18 years, 345 days). She is now the reigning Olympic, World Champion, and World Cup Champion in the Slalom. 

Joshua and Jacob Skiing 2014

 Jacob Skiing Drawing

Jacob catching some air at Ski Liberty

Joshua Skiing Drawing

Joshua sliding a box at Ski Liberty

Joshua and Jacob both started skiing when they were Five. This winter we skied at Seven Springs, and Ski Liberty. When we go, there are three generations together, as my father now 75 years old skis with us.

Jonathan Quick 2014

 Jonathan Quick Drawing

Shield Detail (actual color)

Hockey Goalie: Jonathan is the starting goalie for the Los Angelos Kings in the NHL. Last season the Kings won the Stanley Cup, and Johathan won the Conn Smythe Trophy for the MVP of the playoffs. ESPN also voted him as the NHL Best Player. Jonathan was the back up goalie for the USA hockey team in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics when they won the Silver Medal. He was the starting goalie for Team USA in the Winter Olympics this month in Sochi Russia. They were one of the favorites to win the Gold Medal. Team USA was eliminated from the tournament in the Bronze Medal game today. 

Bay Times Feb.19,2014

This month I put three of my Sports Art Drawings in The Human Form Show at the Kent Island Federation of Arts. The photographer from the Bay Times, Doug Bishop, has become a fan of my work over the years. Doug was also one of Navorro Bowmans High School teachers.

Olga Graf 2014

Olga Graf Drawing

Russian Olympic Speed Skater: Olga is a thirty year old woman from Omsk,Soviet Union. This past Sunday morning I was watching the Winter Olympics from Sochi Russia. The event was the Woman's 3000 Meter Speed Skating Race. As Olga was approaching the starting line for the tenth pairing, the commentators were saying how she was a strong skater but would not factor in the medal standings.Olga had not even qualified for the previous Olympics in Vancouver Canada. Lap after lap Olga was ahead of the current leaders pace. As she crossed the finish line, the Russian crowd went wild she had skated the best race of her life, and posted the fastest time of the event. After the thirteenth and final pairing, Olga had been bumped to the Bronze Medal, but she had become an Olympic medalist. Watching that drama unfold is why I love the Olympic games.Olga will also compete in the 1500, and the 3000 meters during the Sochi games. I know she will have at least on American fan watching!!!  

NaVorro Bowman 2013

 NaVorro Bowman Drawing

NaVorro Bowman Drawing in progress

San Francisco 49ers Linebacker: Navorro played his college ball at Penn State University. He was selected by the 49ers in the 2010 NFL Draft in the 3rd round, as the 91st pick overall. He made the 2012 NFL Pro Bowl. This year at seasons mid point, he is considered by many as the teams defensive player of the year. A good friend of mine taught him Social Studies in High School here in Maryland. 

Angela Salvagno 2013

 Angela Salvagno Drawing

Angela Salvagno drawing in progress

Anglea is a  IFBB Prefessional Bodybuilder: Her best win was the 2009 NPC USA Championship. She won the Light Heavyweight and the Overall division in that competition to allow her to go professional. She now continues to body build, and is an adult entertainer.

Ray Rice No.2, 2013

 Ray Rice No.2 Drawing

Ray Rice No.2 Drawing in progress

Running Back for the Baltimore Ravens, Ray has become one of the team MVP's, and a crowd favorite. Since being drafted in 2008, Ray is now second in rushing attempts, second in rushing yards, second in rushing touchdowns, and third in combined touchdowns, in the Ravens history. Last season in Superbowl XLVII, he won his first ring. He has gone to the Pro Bowl three times (2009,2011,2012).

My wife also has a big crush on him!!!

Floyd Mayweather Jr. 2013

Floyd Mayweather Jr. Drawing

Floyd Mayweather Jr. is an American boxer. He has won World Championships in five different weight classes.His management and training team are called The Money Team.

Quite honestly there was a time when I couldnt stand Floyd! His nicknames are "Pretty Boy", from his amateur days, and "Money" from the millions he has earned boxing. He flaunts his money, cars, women, and taunts his opponents with non stop verbal sparring. In 2007 I was really routing for Ricky Hatton to destroy him. Ricky was from Manchester England where my father is from. The super fight was billed as "Undefeated" as neither fighter had ever lost. Floyd destroyed the hard punching, brawling Hatton, and knocked him out in the tenth round.

Floyd took two years off from fighting. Now every time there is a fight scheduled for him, the media hype is huge. The experts all agree that the new opponent is the one who will beat him. They all have the "Blueprint on how to beat Floyd." Floyd wins most of the rounds, and defeats the now usually younger opponent. Floyds professional record is now 45-0, and he is considered the best pound for pound fighter in the world, and many think of all time. 

I have become a fan! 

Adam Jones 2013

Adam Jones Drawing

Center Fielder for the Baltimore Orioles: Adam Jones was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in 2003. He was traded to the Orioles in 2008. In 2009, and 2012, he was awarded an American League Gold Glove Award for outfield. He has also played in three MLB All Star games. 

Isaiah Lucas 2013

Isaiah Lucas Drawing

Myself with Meghan Lucas, her Daughter, and Coach Potter

As mentioned in the last two posts, Joshua will be going on a Potter Baseball Tour this summer. Coach Potter is running two tours this summer. Joshua will be going on the first tour. Isaiah will be going on the second tour. Isaiahs mother Meghan is the Director of Operations for Potter Baseball Tours. Coach Potter asked me to do this drawing for her. Monday night the Potter Tour 2013 was launched with a meet and greet, and Coach Potter and I presented Meghan with the drawing.

Potter Baseball Greeting Cards 2013

 Greeting Card 1

 Greeting Card 2

Promotional Flyer

As seen in my last post, Coach and Author Jeff Potter came to see my son Joshua play baseball for his high school team. The conversation came up regarding Joshua going on a Potter Baseball Tour this summer. Coach Potter puts summer baseball tours together for 13-15 year old boys. The tour will be twenty five days long, the boys will have the experience of being on the road like a minor league player. They will play in a number of minor league ball parks in addition to doing community service projects and tour hosted events along the way. Each player, along with his parents, are responsible for raising  his own tour fee. Joshua will be doing this by selling these greeting cards that I designed for the exclusive use of Potter Baseball.
Check out jeffpotterbaseball.com

Author/ Coach Jeff Potter 2013

 Author/Coach Jeff Potter's new book

 My Eric Potter Drawing on Pg.331 of Saving Baseball

Coach Potter and Joshua after one of his KIHS JV games

In November of 2011, I posted a drawing that I had done of a left handed pitcher named Eric Potter. He had just finished his pitching career at the University of Maryland, and been drafted by the Oakland A's. I had done the drawing of Eric who I had never met, as a gift for his Father and Mother. His father Author and Coach Jeff Potter has been, and continues to be a huge mentor to me coaching youth baseball. I presented the drawing to Coach Potter, his wife Sheryl, and Eric, at a Potter Baseball clinic that both of my sons attended. 

I ran into Coach last weekend at a baseball tournament with my younger son. He gave me a copy of his new book, Saving Baseball,  which includes my portrait of Eric. In addition to writing, Coach Potter runs summer baseball tours for 13-15 year old players. He remembered Joshua from the 2011 clinic. At the time,he called Joshua "Hockey Hair". Last night Coach Potter came to see Joshua play in a  Kent Island High School Junior Varsity game, for the possibility of Joshua playing on one of his tours.

For more information about Coach Potter, his books and baseball tours, check out www.jeffpotterbaseball.com  

Lil Lion 2013

 Lil Lion Drawing

Lil Lion Drawing in progress

Did this drawing for a friend of one of my hunting buddies. I dont even know the name of the little boy, but what a great picture! Queen Anne's High School is the rival high school of Kent Island High School where my son now plays Junior Varsity Baseball. GO BUCS!! 

Robert Griffin III (RG3) 2013

RG3 Drawing

Quarterback for the Washington Redskins: Robert played his college ball at Baylor University where he won the 2011 Heisman Trophy. The Washington Redskins picked him second overall in the 2012 NFL Draft. Not only was he the starting Quarterback, he won the 2012 Offensive Rookie of the Year title. Jacob is a Redskin, and RG3 fan, and asked for a drawing for his birthday.

"Rowdy" Ronda Rousey 2013

Ronda Rousey Drawing

UFC Womans Bantamweight Champion: Last weekend, Ronda won the UFC title by beating Liz Carmouche by a first round arm bar submission. It was her seventh professional MMA fight, and seventh first round arm bar. By winning the title, she vacated the Strike Force Bantamweight title that she held. Ronda is a Judo fighter, and among her many titles, was the first American woman ever to win an Olympic medal in Judo. She won the bronze in Beijing in 2008.

Another Ravens Lawn Logo Jan.30,2013

The Ravens Logo, 16ft. long by 8ft. high

My partner Jacob and I with another completed Ravens Logo

Having seen the logo I did for my friends Mike and Natalie, this local restaurant had me come do it on their lawn. Jacob is pretty good at color filling for me, and we are done in less than an hour.

Ravens Lawn Logo Jan.29,2013

 Blank Lawn

 

 Boat Shrink-wrap Plastic Template

 The Finished Logo

Jacob fills in color

Not like my typical sports art, but I think this counts! This weekend the Ravens will play the 49ers in the Superbowl. Today my son Jacob and I pulled up to a buddys house, and an hour later, we had completed the Ravens logo on his lawn.Yes I wore my 49ers gear while I painted it.The Logo is 16 feet long, by 8 feet high.

Colin Kaepernick 2013

Colin Kaepernick Drawing

SanFrancisco 49ers Quarterback: In this Colins second NFL season, he took over for Quarterback Alex Smith when Smith got injured after nine games. He lead the 49ers to a second 11 win season, and this weekend plays in the NFC Championship game. In last weekends playoff game against the Green Bay Packers, Colin rushed for 181 yards, including 20 and 56 yard touchdown runs. This was an NFL Quarterback single game rushing record for any game, regular season, or playoffs. Colins body is covered with tattoos, including Psalm 27:3 on one arm, Psalm 18:39 on the other. Spanning across the underside of both biceps is "My gift is my curse", and after being selected 36th in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft, Colin had "Against all odds" tattooed in 6 inch letters across his chest. His entire back is an angels and demons motif, a depiction of opposing forces that he got while playing at University of Nevada. 

Sportfishing Pro-Line "Diamondback"

Diamondback Drawing

I did this drawing as a Christmas gift from a friend to his father. The boat is docked in the Chesapeake Bay, and used for fishing and good times! As a Terps fan, I liked the name of the boat!

Bradley Wiggins 2012

Bradley Wiggins Drawing

Bradley is a champion cyclist from Great Britain. He rides for Team Sky, based out of The National Cycling Centre in Manchester England where my Father was born. In this years Tour De France, when Bradley was named as one of the pre race favorites, my father and I started routing for him. Bradley won the Tour, and became Englands first winner ever. He won Stage 19, the long and grueling individual time trial, to cap off a dominating tour. Weeks later, Bradley won the individual time trial in the Summer Olympics. In doing so, he became the only rider to ever win a Grand Tour event and a Olympic gold medal in the same summer. He also became the only winner ever to win an Grand Tour event, and an Olympic gold medal in a track cycling event. He started out as a track cyclist, and has won 7 total Olympic medals now (2000,2004,2008,2012), tying him with track cyclist Chris Hoy to become England most decorated Olympic athlete ever in any sport.

Marta Menegatti No.2, 2012

Marta Menegatti Drawing

Marta's hands in progress

This is the second drawing I have done of Marta. Hands are one of the hardest things to draw. Anyone who has seen my sketch book, knows that I love to draw hands. As a baseball manager who gives signs to the pitcher from third base, I noticed the way the volleyball players give each other signs from the player at the net to the server.  

Jacob "Cyborg" 2012

Jacob "Cyborg" Drawing

Jacob us usually one of the smaller players on his baseball and soccer teams. Despite his size, he is usually the most aggressive player on his soccer teams, and is usually one of the strongest throwers on his baseball teams. We often say, "He is a machine."

Jacob 2012

Jacob Drawing

This Baseball season, Jacob played his second year of Rookie ball for our local recreation league,Kent Island Youth Baseball and Softball Club (KIYBSC). Rookie is seven and eight year olds. He "Played up" his first year as a six year old instead of playing T-Ball. This season he practiced switch hitting, and actually got hits from both sides of the plate in games. He also made the end of the season all star team for the KIYBSC Bucs.

Michael Phelps 2012

Michael Phelps Drawing

Retired American Swimmer: This is the second drawing I have done of Michael. The first one was in 2008 after he had won eight gold medals in the Beijing Olympics. Michael just completed the London Olmpics and retired as the most decorated Olympic athlete ever. He has won 22 total Olympic medals (18 Gold). Over his career, he has set 39 World Record for time. He currently hold seven World Records for time.