National Art Museum of Sport Artist of the Month

I'm honored to have been chosen as the January 2016 Artist of the Month by the National Art Museum of Sport (NAMOS).

NAMOS is "America's premiere museum of fine art depicting sport", founded in New York in 1959 and opened its first location in 1968 at Madison Square Garden.

The museum's mission is to share the best in fine art depicting sport and encourage the creation of fine art depicting sport.

My baseball glove artworks are being featured on the NAMOS web site during the month.

Now based in Indianapolis, the National Art Museum of Sport has one of the largest collections and exhibition schedules of fine art depicting sport. The museum has more than 1,000 pieces showcasing the heroes and heroines of basketball, boxing, baseball, golf and tennis-over 50 sports. In addition to its collections, the museum also features extensive archives and a library about sport art and its collection.

NAMOS currently hosts exhibitions featuring selections from their permanent collections in various locations, including pieces on display at NCAA headquarters, while in discussions for a new permanent home.

Thanks to The National Art Museum of Sport for recognizing my work to this point exploring the national pastime!

Kansas City Baseball Icon Buck O'Neil

O'Neil Featured on Custom Baseball Glove Painting

Vintage 1940s firstbase mitt becomes canvas for painting highlighting career of Buck O'Neil.

Buck O'Neil was a Negro Leagues first baseman and manager of the Kansas City Monarchs from 1938 to 1956. He was the first black coach in Major League Baseball, joining the Chicago Cubs in 1962. Later he was a scout for the Kansas City Royals.

This painting of an elder Buck O'Neil was created for the offices of KC architecture firm Pendulum Studio, specializing in baseball stadium design.

(FYI, video has no sound.)

Buck O'Neil was a founder of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City and became known for retelling stories from that era in Ken Burns' documentary, "Baseball."

O'Neil was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Baseball Hall of Fame has recognized his impact on the game with a Lifetime Achievement Award named in his honor.

The baseball glove painting of Buck O'Neil is custom-framed in a diamond shape, a reference to the logo of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. This is a deep shadow box-style, wood frame with gold highlights on a cloth mat.

Of all the quotes I've painted on gloves, Buck's may be my favorite; "You Got to Give People Love."

For a special item displaying your affection for a local sports legend -- For a public office space or civic museum, corporate gifts or something for yourself -- I specialize in creating keepsakes that will spark memories of the game and engage viewers. Contact me to discuss the possibilities.

Welcome Sports Collectors Daily Readers

Thanks for coming over to see more of the baseball memories I'm creating on classic gloves.

Available gloves are in my Gallery Shop.

I create custom order Painted Gloves, too. Info here.

Gallery Shop and Custom Ordering prices typically range from $2000-$3500 for a Painted Glove depending upon a number of factors including design complexity, number of portraits and rarity of glove.

All prices include FREE shipping and NO sales tax for U.S. deliveries. Your Painted Glove will arrive in an archival museum gift box with display stand (or framed. See specific glove for details.)

For questions or inquires, please contact me.

I appreciate your interest and welcome your thoughts! Best,

Sean

P.S., the latest news from my studio can be found in my Fall "Dugout Dispatch" newsletter and the Spring 2015 edition.

Baseball Glove Art featuring 'Bucketfoot' Al Simmons

Hall of Fame Slugger Simmons Portrayed on Vintage Glove

This painting of Aloysious Simmons, one of the best hitters of the live-ball era, has been acquired by The National Pastime Museum.

Simmons was part of the dominant Philadelphia Athletics teams that won the A.L pennant in 1929 and World Series in 1930 and 1931. He was a star outfielder for a total of seven teams from 1924-1944.

An antique baseball glove from the 1930s, similar in style to what Al Simmons wore in the outfield during that era, was used for this painting.

Simmons won the batting title in 1930, batting .381 and in 1931, batting .390. At the time of his induction into the Hall of Fame in 1953, he had the most hits by any A.L. right-handed batter in history with 2831.

Born in Milwaukee, Simmons went on to collect a .334 lifetime average with 2927 hits and 307 home runs. The position of his feet while batting earned him the nickname "Bucketfoot Al".

Sean Kane's baseball glove art has been featured on NBC Sports.com, ESPN.com, MLB Network Radio, and is in the collection of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and private collections across the country.  

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

Researching Gloves and More at the Baseball Hall of Fame

A photo recap of Beautiful Cooperstown and a few of the Game's Treasures

In Cooperstown for the first time, on a beautiful early-Fall weekend, I was able to get a firsthand look at gloves and mitts worn by many of the game's greats.

Satchell statue, Gehrig's glove, Ty Cobb's shoes, and looks like they've been painting baseball equipment since the 1850s!

Searching books and online just doesn't compare to seeing items in person, especially when I'm looking to accurately depict uniforms and shoes, etc.

Ruth's glove, McGraw's Giants uniform, Lakeside Cooperstown, Bob Gibson's glove (which, interestingly, is a Carl Yastrzemski model glove!).

Also, being able to know what glove a player used helps me to more accurately know which type I should look for when it comes time to portray that player on a glove.

Pirates '79 hat, Willie Mays' glove he made 'The Catch' with, Brooks Robinson glove, and a blast from my past -- pinwheel from old Comiskey Park scoreboard.

While at the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, I also had the good fortune to also meet a group of new friends, Roberto Clemente enthusiasts from around the country gathering for an event featuring former Mets' pitcher and Rookie of the Year, Jon Matlack.

Shop selling gloves, Al Simmons' hat, Aparicio's '70 uniform, and the glove Yogi Berra used to catch Don Larsen's perfect game in the World Series, which looks like it had a few trips to the seamstress during the season.

Will look forward to future trips to Cooperstown and researching the game!

Glove Paintings in North Carolina Art Exhibition

"Baseball as Art" exhibit showcases five Baseball Glove Artworks.

The Cleveland County Arts Council in Shelby, NC celebrates baseball-inspired art in the annual "Baseball as Art" exhibition, opening August 6th.

My Ted Williams, Hank Greenberg, Minnie Minoso, Tom Seaver and Roberto Clemente baseball glove paintings are on display in this group show.

The exhibit runs through September 12th in the beautiful former post office space and includes a number of baseball-themed images by several artists.

The exhibit opens in conjunction with the American Legion Baseball World Series, which brings baseball fans and families from around the countey to the Shelby-area during the tournament.

A big THANKS to the Cleveland County Arts Council for the invitation to have a role in the show! Their enthusiasm for the arts and special programming is impressive and it's an honor to be associated with this special event.

Photos courtesy of Jason Dahlheimer and Cleveland County Arts Council.

Catching "Casey at the Bat" for the National Pastime Museum

Vintage Catcher Mitts Capture View of Famous Poem

The one integral player not mentioned in "Casey at the Bat" is the catcher, receiver of the three strikes that got by Mighty Casey.

This visual interpretation of the poem addresses that omission.

At the time of the poem's publication in the 1880's, gloves were just beginning to be standard equipment on the field.

A player behind the plate may have only had a modified work glove to protect himself.

A generation later, the 1910's, when catchers wore big mitts and 'Casey' was still popularly performed on stage and radio -- and just after publication of a sequel to the famous poem in which Casey gets his revenge -- is the setting for this triptych.

The three, century-old gloves used in the artwork help transport us to that era while reminding us of the presence behind the plate catching "Casey at the Bat".

This baseball glove painting is in the collection of The National Pastime Museum, an online museum based on a private collection of baseball artifacts.

Interested in adding a glove painting to your collection or giving as a gift? I can create custom baseball glove artwork.  Just Let Me Know.

Sean Kane's painted baseball glove art has been exhibited at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City and has been the subject of a solo gallery show in New York City, and is in private collections across the U.S.

His glove paintings have been featured on ESPN.com, NBC Sports.com, and MLB Network Radio.

Sean has been a professional artist for over 20 years and a baseball fan since he was old enough to wear his dad's old mitt.  More info >

Christy Mathewson for The National Pastime Museum

Pitching Ace 'Matty' featured on Century-old Glove

Hall of Fame pitcher Christy Mathewson depicted on 100-year old baseball glove from the era in which he played.

Career details and name in type reminiscent of that used in print design during the 1910's.

The New York Giants and Cincinnati Reds righty amassed 373 wins in his career. He led the Giants to the 1905 World Series title by pitching three shutouts.

This painted baseball glove portrait is in the collection of The National Pastime Museum, an online museum based on a private collection of baseball artifacts.

This Painted Glove has been sold.

Looking for a similar glove painting? I can create custom baseball glove artwork.  Just Let Me Know.

Sean Kane's painted baseball glove art has been exhibited at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City and has been the subject of a solo gallery show in New York City, and is in private collections across the U.S.

His glove paintings have been featured on ESPN.com, NBC Sports.com, and MLB Network Radio.

Sean has been a professional artist for over 20 years and a baseball fan since he was old enough to wear his dad's old mitt.  More info >