Summer Premium and Catalog Auction July 31 & Aug 8
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/9/2015
PLEASE NOTE A PORTION OF THE PROCEEDS FROM THIS SALE WILL SUPPORT THE DEACON JONES FOUNDATION.
Perhaps second only to Michael Jordan, Walter Payton is the Windy City's best and most beloved athlete. Sweetness was an unstoppable force with as much grace as power, and beyond anchoring arguably the finest Super Bowl champion squad in history, beyond racking up over 16,000 yards and 125 TDs, he also was a workhorse who missed just a single game in his entire 13-year career. All of those elements of Payton's greatness are on full glorious display in this original work on canvas by artist Rob Jackson, who features Sweetness in a central 1984 pose (with the George Halas memorial uniform patch) set against a backdrop of four additional portraits.
The 24" x 36" creation was produced in partnership with the Deacon Jones Foundation—a charity organization founded by Jones in 1997 to benefit inner-city youth and their communities—for a series of NFL-licensed, museum-quality, limited-edition giclee prints. But this offering is the sole original example, signed by Jackson in the bottom right corner and notated on the reverse stretcher bar, "ORIGINAL FEB 2014 'SWEETNESS.'" An artist bio appears on the Foundation's website: "Jackson’s love for sports began at the age of seven, after witnessing an iconic moment in NFL history. As a talented young artist, it seemed only natural that he would combine his artistic gift with his athletic obsession. Encouraged by another artist as a teenager, Rob developed a passion for the realism genre of art. He has since painted live at events such as Super Bowl Week and teamed up with numerous foundations to help raise money for charity. Known for his crisp detail and ability to capture the likeness of his subject with ease, Rob strives to achieve a texture within his work that takes his subject matter close to an exact resemblance of a photo without losing the fine art feel of an original painting. Unlike a lot of artists who have followed the path of being formally trained, Rob prides himself on being able to accomplish his style as a natural, hard working, self-taught artist."
About the Deacon Jones Foundation:
Founded in 1997, the Deacon Jones Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity created to assist young people and the communities in which they live. This is done though a comprehensive program that includes education, mentoring, and community service. It was created with a mission to develop leaders … young, educated, talented, intelligent, accomplished people who understand their commitment to the communities from which they come, and have the tools and the desire to return to give back of their knowledge; to help those less fortunate; to help stem the cycle of inner-city strife and continuous depreciation of neighborhoods; to be positive role models for others to emulate. Deacon Jones himself served as the president and CEO of the Foundation through his final days.
Today, the Deacon Jones Foundation has embarked on a new endeavor to fulfill its mission to serve youth populations who need our support. Through an exceptional arrangement with the National Football League, the Deacon Jones Foundation has launched a fine art program featuring the sale of museum-quality limited edition sports art prints. Each item is officially licensed by the National Football League, adding tremendous value and authenticity to each piece.
To learn more about the Deacon Jones Foundation and its programs, you can visit their website at Click Here, email them at [email protected] or call 714-403-4480.