Brewers Fantasy Camp and SABR: Baseball Fun in Phoenix

A Winter Trip to the Sun with Painted Gloves

The Milwaukee Brewers Fantasy Camp hosted me at their annual event this year and I brought along a couple of gloves especially for the occasion.

First off was a baseball glove painting featuring Brewers (and Red Sox) great, Cecil Cooper. I incorporated two portraits, including one of him batting, onto the vintage Rawlings pro model first base mitt. The painting process can be seen here.

Cecil had high praise for my work, mentioning this is just like a glove he used during his playing days. He shared some personal thoughts, which were quite touching.

The glove was won in a raffle by a happy Fantasy Camper, for whom Coop signed the glove -- right where I thought an autograph would look best. Now that's a keepsake!

Raffle proceeds went toward the Camp's charity this year, the ALS Association.

I also painted a leather mini-glove, only about 6-inches tall, with the Brewers Fantasy Camp logo. Mini-glove details here.

This glove artwork was for Fantasy Camp director, current Brewers TV broadcaster and former catcher, Bill Schroeder, pictured below.  Bill has a keen interest in the history of the game and it was a treat to get to meet and talk with him.

My other generous host was photographer and Camp newsletter editor, Rick Ramirez, who expertly snapped great action shots even while talking with me in foul territory!

It also happened to be SABR Day while I was in Phoenix, the nationwide annual celebration of all things baseball by the Society of American Baseball Research.

I was invited to present my work at the Phoenix chapter event, held in the press box at Tempe Diablo Stadium, Spring home of the LA Angels.  I received a very warm reception to my work plus some interesting questions from the group and got to meet some passionate fans -- my favorite.

SABR Executive Director, Marc Appleman and Rodney Johnson, Flame Delhi chapter president.

The SABR Day event also featured a wide-ranging debate between baseball writers and Hall of Fame voters Barry Bloom and Tony DeMarco regarding Hall of Fame voting.

A new series of handsome panels at Diablo Stadium depicting and recalling the history of the Cactus League was on display (opens in Facebook).  And I received some promising insights from Shoeless Joe Jackson researcher, Jacob Pomrenke, about a 100 year old glove I'll be using for an upcoming project, too.

Being in Phoenix provided a chance to reconnect with a friend, John, who researches Negro Leagues baseball history. His current projects include compiling a collection of baseball cards of Negro Leagues players.

The Bowman 1952 cards are so nice, with crisp, illustrated player portraits. An amazing collection like this deserves a much better photo. They were beautiful and the stories behind each would fill many more hours.

A few days spent with Fantasy Campers, seeing them play ball, visiting with many major leaguers and team personnel, sharing my work with so many baseball people and hearing such kind words about what I'm doing -- all under clear skies and 80 degree temps-- It was a baseball experience that'll be tough to beat.

The biggest of thanks to the Milwaukee Brewers Fantasy Camp.

Painted Gloves teams up with the Milwaukee Brewers Fantasy Camp

Pleased to announce that I'll be guest of the Brewers Fantasy Camp in January.

Helping to add to the fun on tap for the players, I'm creating special baseball glove paintings for the Fantasy Camp and more.

Custom baseball glove art being created for the camp includes this Bergino Mini-Glove adorned with the Brewers Fantasy Camp logo. Love that classic 'mb' glove logo!

Also on the glove is a glimpse of Beer Barrel Man, a Milwaukee baseball icon going back to the 1940s when the Brewers were a minor league club. 

And the logo word 'Milwaukee', as it appeared on their road jerseys back in the 1980s. All this on a glove that's only 6 inches tall meant to hold business cards.

While in Phoenix with the camp I'll be making an presentation about my work and will have glove paintings featuring players on display.

Glove art with player portraits commissioned by the Brewers will be unveiled at Camp in January.

Big league thanks to the Brewers Fantasy Camp team for inviting me to contribute to the camp experience. Follow Brewers Fantasy Camp on Facebook and Twitter.

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If you'll be in Phoenix area January 21-24 and would like to see my work, please contact me.

And if you're interested in a custom mini-glove painting with your team or corporate logo, let's talk.

Baseball Glove Art Newsletters

Welcome!

Your subscription to updates from my studio has been confirmed.

While you await the next installment of my Dugout Dispatch, here are some past issues:

February 2017 Newsletter

The 'Dugout Dispatch' is a monthly quick update on the latest baseball art projects, process and inspiration, events and exhibitions.

October 2017 Newsletter

Sean Kane's baseball glove art is in the collection of the National Baseball Hall of Fame & Museum, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and was part of the "Chasing Dreams" exhibit at the Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art. Sean was recognized as “Artist of the Month” by the National Art Museum of Sport. His work has been commissioned by the Philadelphia Phillies, Cal Ripken Sr Foundation and The Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital. More about Sean

Inquires about paintings and commissioning glove artworks are welcome. Please contact sean@seankane.com or telephone 519-836-5647.

Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Exhibit: Latin Beisbol Art

The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City opened their "Negro Leagues Beisbol" exhibit last week (May 16, 2014).

The exhibit includes a collection of five glove paintings featuring players who exemplified the relationship between the Negro Leagues and Latin baseball.

A glove painting I created highlighting the career of Cuban great Martin Dihigo made its public debut at the VIP Sponsors Opening Night Celebration held at the museum. 

The artwork on a vintage 1940s glove is now part of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum's permanent collection.

The new exhibit explores the rich cultural and historical connection between American-born Negro Leaguers and players of Hispanic descent, who often played in each other's leagues. 

Five Painted Gloves on display at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, Kansas City.

Other art in the exhibit includes Willie Mays and Hank Aaron glove paintings, both of whom played in the Negro Leagues and in Latin American.

The great Puerto Rican Roberto Clemente is also represented on a painted glove in the exhibit.

Another Cuban great, Minnie Minoso, is represented on a glove painting in the exhibit. While maybe best known as a Chicago White Sox player, Minoso was active in the Negro Leagues and the Cuban League, where he won Rookie of the Year in 1945-46.

The opening celebration included many former Negro League players, including Enrique Maroto, Pedro Sierra, George Altman and others.

With museum president Bob Kendrick.

What great stories I got to hear, including what it was like to be starting pitcher in the East-West Negro Leagues All-Star game in front of 50,000 at old Comiskey Park. Priceless.

I also had the pleasure of visiting with museum supporters, former major leaguers Willie Wilson and Bobby Dernier, and the hard working team at the NLBM, including museum president Bob Kendrick and curator Dr. Ray Doswell.

And, all of this is taking place in Kansas City, where in 1920, Rube Foster lead the forming of the Negro National League.

The "Negro Leagues Beisbol" exhibit continues until September 30, 2014. The exhibit is presented by Sprint and the Kauffman Foundation and admission is free to the public.

Definitely plan to stop by 18th & Vine for an enriching experience and to learn about baseball's international heritage!

Glove Art for Richie Ashburn-Harry Kalas Foundation Dinner

The Richie Ashburn - Harry Kalas Foundation commissioned a custom painted glove as a fundraising item for their annual benefit dinner in Philadelphia last week (May 12, 2014).

A special vintage glove with a hand-painted rendition of the Foundation's handsome logo was created for the event, leaving plenty of space for player autographs.

Past and present Phillies signed the glove just before dinner was served, including Hall of Famer and Manager Ryne Sandberg and All-Star Ryan Howard (pictured above and below), Larry Bowa, Kyle Kendrick, Cody Asche, Gary 'The Sarge' Matthews, Ruben Amaro Sr., and Larry Anderson.

The 1940s Wilson glove became a one-of-a-kind keepsake for one lucky bidder during the evening's live auction.

Named after the Hall of Fame player and the Hall of Fame broadcaster, the Ashburn-Kalas Foundation provides free baseball camps for over 1,000 youths in the Philadelphia-area each summer.

A big thanks to the Ashburn-Kalas Foundation for asking me to create this custom artwork and for the opportunity to be a part of the event.

And this was an especially significant project for me. My first and favorite glove as a boy, the one that planted the seed for a love of classic gloves, was my dad's old childhood glove -- a Richie Asburn signature model. Incredible how life moments can come full circle sometimes.

I'm goin' to Kansas City, Kansas City here I come

Just seven weeks until my baseball glove artwork makes its museum debut.

I’ve got some butterflies. A big to-do list. And a smile from ear to ear.

The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City is presenting my baseball glove art as part of a new exhibit opening in May.

“Beisbol” will focus on Latin American baseball and its influence on the game in the U.S., including the Negro Leagues. It's a big story that I'm thrilled to have a role in helping to tell. After its KC debut the exhibit will travel the country for five years.

But I can’t pull back the curtain on the art just yet -- it will be unveiled at the special Opening Night reception at the Museum on May 15. (Hint: Become a Museum member to get an invite!)

The player I focused on was a Cuban star who also played in the Negro Leagues.

His is an amazing story that many fans may not be familiar with, which is why I wanted to create this work -- on a glove from his playing era, it includes a portrait and career highlights plus some flair to hint at the lively Latin approach to the game.

Ideally the glove painting will invite curiosity about this player and give a glimpse of his impact on the game.

Additionally, plans are being made to present other baseball glove paintings of mine in the ‘Beisbol’ exhibit -- a “mini-show” within the exhibit featuring paintings of a few players touched by the Latin leagues experience.

This is where some of the butterflies and big to-do list come in.

And the smile from ear to ear -- that comes from this opportunity the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum has presented, fulfilling a number of goals for this path I’m on.

As I make my way towards that plane trip in a month and a half, I’ll be sharing some of the process and progress along the way. Should be quite a ride.

Kansas City, Kansas City here I come...

______________________

photo by ImaginaryGirl

Baseball Art Show: Opening Party Recap Video

It'll take just slightly longer than a New York minute (68 seconds, to be exact) to catch a few moments from the Baseball Glove Art Show Opening Party.

Click below. (Also at this YouTube link. ) 

The event was held at the Bergino Baseball Clubhouse, New York City, where the paintings are on display.

Thanks to all in attendance for making the evening a home run! 

And special thanks to Jay Goldberg, owner of the Bergino Baseball Clubhouse.

And for the photos used in the video, big thanks to: Lorrie Gibson (one of my all-star aunts), Muneesh Jain (RoundingThird.net, his 30 Stadium Series), and Annie Levy (Photo Project Curator at AnnieLevy.com).

Baseball Glove Art Show Opens in New York City

Please join me for the Opening Night Party...

Friday, October 4, 2013 -- 6:00 - 9:00 pm

Bergino Baseball Clubhouse (gallery Facebook page)

67 E 11th Street (at Broadway), New York City

tel 212-226-7150  

Chat over a complimentary beer and ballpark snack while enjoying baseball art as never seen before.

See the lineup of all new glove paintings featuring baseball legends including Hank Aaron, Yogi Berra, Roberto Clemente, Sandy Koufax, Mickey Mantle, Stan Musial, Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays and a few surprises.

Original glove art will be available for purchase.

Hope to catch you there!