Baseball Art with Acclaimed Artist Dave Medin

For those of you following us on Twitter, you may have noticed a few tweets going out about our Facebook Sweepstakes featuring a prize package that contains an original painting by artist Dave Medin, who is best known for his baseball art. Today, we thought we would share why we think this is the most exciting contest we’ve run in a long time.

Dave was born in San Francisco, California, but his family relocated to Santa Rosa when he was under a year old. Growing up, he played ice hockey at the Charles M. Schulz ice arena in Santa Rosa, and it was there that he found his love for art.

Dave was fortunate enough to be around Charles on a frequent basis and, on a few occasions, he was even invited into the great Peanuts creator’s studio, where Mr. Schulz gave him tips and guidance on art and drawing. He began doodling in class at school and even started cartooning in his free time, but he found his true passion when he switched to painting with both watercolors and acrylics.

Today, Dave works full time as a Deputy Sheriff with the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office and paints exclusively with acrylics in his free time. He has painted some of the world’s most iconic athletes, from Raiders football great Jerry Robinson to Giants baseball slugger Will Clark. Check out our exclusive interview with Dave to find out more about the man behind the paintbrush, and be sure to enter our Facebook Sweepstakes for a chance to win an original painting by Dave Medin.

Baseball Art With Dave Medin

When did you begin painting athletes and sports figures?

I started by doing portraits of actors, and then switched to athletes, Babe Ruth being my first portrait.  Ever since then, I have primarily stuck to doing athletes, mostly of them in action.

Where has some of your baseball art been featured?

I had an acrylic painting that was up in the National Museum for Sports Art.  That was there for a year on display.  I also have a painting up in Marlins Park, home of the Marlins.

Have you done any commissioned work for athletes? If so, who?

I was commissioned by Brooke Sizemore, wife of Scott Sizemore (A’s) and Kaycee Sogaard (also of the A’s) for two paintings.  I have sold several others to private collectors.

What sorts of reactions do you get when athletes see your paintings of them?

I have donated at least 12 paintings to MLB players, and ex players.  That includes the Giants, A’s, Marlins, Cubs, Padres.  Most of the players are gracious enough to provide me game tickets, and if I am lucky, passes to give the paintings to them personally, and allow my son to meet them.  That is the main reason I donate my paintings, to help out the players charity/foundations and to let my son get some great experiences meeting players.

What/who has been your favorite subject to paint?

I don’t know if I have a favorite player/painting.  But my first donation was of Santa Rosa native and UCLA/Eagles/Raider great, Jerry Robinson.  He came to our house for dinner, and we have remained friends ever since.  I would also say David DeJesus was a great player to meet.

Your style of painting is rather unique. How would you describe it to someone?

 It’s hard to describe my own work.  I have had many people tell me that my paintings are very colorful and full of action.  I would describe them as realism, but not realistic so to speak.  They are not as detailed and beautiful as many sports artists I have seen, but have enough realism that it is attractive the naked eye.  It does not look like a photo, which is something I like when looking at someone else’s paintings.

Can you give us a run through of your creative process? Do you start with a sketch? Do you paint off of an image or photograph?

When I start a painting, I usually find a photograph that I think I will be able to complete.  There is always one that just stands out. Recently, I have found myself concentrating on doing paintings from around the waist up, which is ironic since I used to not be able, or didn’t really try, to paint the human face, and would create my paintings with a subject with a blacked out face.

Unfortunately, it was obvious who it was due to the number and uniform!! Through many paintings, I have improved on the faces, to where I am usually pretty comfortable with how they turn out.  I do most of them off a printed photograph, either off the internet or in a magazine, or the player with send me one of their favorites.

If you could paint one iconic sports moment, what would it be? Why?

I hope my next iconic painting will be of a SF Giant, hitting the game winning home run or hit in the World Series.  I haven’t ventured into paintings with multiple players/people in it.  But one day I will do one of Bobby Orr’s Stanley Cup winning goal with the Bruins.  It was just a great picture and I would love to duplicate it.

Do any artists serve as your inspiration?

I think Leroy Niemann was my first inspiration.  Very colorful and not as detailed as some artists, but the painting was always perfect!  I would say the artist who got me to keep painting, within the past few years, was James Fiorentino. He is a sports artist from NY.  He is an amazing artist and just a young man still.  He was very approachable, via email and phone and was/is very encouraging.  He gave me constructive advice and is a very positive person.  Not to mention, one of the best artist’s out there.  I think I owe any success that I have had, to him.  And of course my wife, for letting me set up shop in the corner of the kitchen!!!!

I have a website I just started (davessportsart.com) and I also have a Twitter account and Facebook account for anyone who wants to follow my work.