Monday, September 04, 2006
Outlaw Ballplayers of the Carolina Baseball League
As Hank Utley would way "I got a story to tell you". This is how this blog got started. I am a fine arts oil painter. I own an art gallery and studio above an ice cream partlor in downtown Concord, North Carolina.
I got a phone call from Hank Utley. He said "This is Hank Utley. I wrote a book about these outlaw baseball players in the 1930's. I've got all these photographs of the players and I thought somebody might like to paint portratis of them. Do you know anybody"?
I had a wet paintbrush in my hand at the time, so I had to excuse myself while I put the brush in some turpentine. Back to the phone, I pulled up a chair and sat dwon. I had heard of Hank Utley before and was vaguely familiar with his books. He had said three words that made my eyes pop open: paint, portraits and baseball. I love painting, especially portraits, and, yes, I like baseball. Don't ask me about stats because I couldn't tell. I just like the game.
Long story short, he brought over his book of photographs, I looked at them, he told me stories, I said,"let me think about this", I went to the library, checked out his blooks, read about bb players, major league, minor league, make your own league, outlaws, kidnapping other players, jumping contracts, ex-convicts, preacher ballplayers, the great depression, cotton mill, I called Hank and said,"I'll do it".
So, I found some canvas big enough to paint life-size portraits of renegade baseball players. They have to be life-size, don't you agree?
The first book is called "The Independent Carolina Baseball League, 1936-1938" written by R. G. (Hank) Utley and Scott Verner. The seceond book is titled "Outlaw Ballplayers" written by R. G. (Hank) Utley and Tim Peeler and Aaron Peeler.
The first portrait I will paint is Edwin Collins "Alabama" Pitts. I chose him partly because the photograph of him is so good it shows the kind of expression on his face I would expect him to have. He's the ex-convict. Looking at his chidhood history, he did better for himself than you might expect.
The next choice is Richard Broadus Culler, short stop, played for Concord 1936 and 1937. He was a graduate of High Point College.
Up next (I think), is Ginger Watts and Marvin Watts who played for Concord, Landis and Kannapolis.
That's a good start. I'll keep going until I have them all painted. And, yes, these paintings will be for sale. At some point, I plan to have prints made also. First things first. Get the paintings done.
I plan to have two paintings finished by November 10, for the Concord Downtown Artwalk. That's the night that all the art venues and restaurants will stay open for partons to walk the brick-lined streets and shop for artwork. Hank will be here in the gallery, Original Art, 21 Union Street South, Concord, upstairs to sign books for you.
Post a comment or call me at 704-784-1549, if you have an interest in what I am doing. I will be posting regularly and adding photographs of the work in progress.
Gotta go paint,
Dine Overcash
I got a phone call from Hank Utley. He said "This is Hank Utley. I wrote a book about these outlaw baseball players in the 1930's. I've got all these photographs of the players and I thought somebody might like to paint portratis of them. Do you know anybody"?
I had a wet paintbrush in my hand at the time, so I had to excuse myself while I put the brush in some turpentine. Back to the phone, I pulled up a chair and sat dwon. I had heard of Hank Utley before and was vaguely familiar with his books. He had said three words that made my eyes pop open: paint, portraits and baseball. I love painting, especially portraits, and, yes, I like baseball. Don't ask me about stats because I couldn't tell. I just like the game.
Long story short, he brought over his book of photographs, I looked at them, he told me stories, I said,"let me think about this", I went to the library, checked out his blooks, read about bb players, major league, minor league, make your own league, outlaws, kidnapping other players, jumping contracts, ex-convicts, preacher ballplayers, the great depression, cotton mill, I called Hank and said,"I'll do it".
So, I found some canvas big enough to paint life-size portraits of renegade baseball players. They have to be life-size, don't you agree?
The first book is called "The Independent Carolina Baseball League, 1936-1938" written by R. G. (Hank) Utley and Scott Verner. The seceond book is titled "Outlaw Ballplayers" written by R. G. (Hank) Utley and Tim Peeler and Aaron Peeler.
The first portrait I will paint is Edwin Collins "Alabama" Pitts. I chose him partly because the photograph of him is so good it shows the kind of expression on his face I would expect him to have. He's the ex-convict. Looking at his chidhood history, he did better for himself than you might expect.
The next choice is Richard Broadus Culler, short stop, played for Concord 1936 and 1937. He was a graduate of High Point College.
Up next (I think), is Ginger Watts and Marvin Watts who played for Concord, Landis and Kannapolis.
That's a good start. I'll keep going until I have them all painted. And, yes, these paintings will be for sale. At some point, I plan to have prints made also. First things first. Get the paintings done.
I plan to have two paintings finished by November 10, for the Concord Downtown Artwalk. That's the night that all the art venues and restaurants will stay open for partons to walk the brick-lined streets and shop for artwork. Hank will be here in the gallery, Original Art, 21 Union Street South, Concord, upstairs to sign books for you.
Post a comment or call me at 704-784-1549, if you have an interest in what I am doing. I will be posting regularly and adding photographs of the work in progress.
Gotta go paint,
Dine Overcash
