Kreindler's Mathewson
 

I'm not so sure how appropriate this is for this forum, but I had to take the opportunity to share my appreciation for having discovered Graig's talents here on this board.

The Mathewson portrait which Graig painted and has been discussed here over the past several weeks arrived at my home yesterday and I wasted no time in positioning it in my "baseball room".

As many of you who attended the National attested, the photographs of it simply do not do it justice - it is one of the finest works of art I have ever seen. Sure I'm partial to Matty, but honestly, I am simply blown away. It is literally is as if Christy is there in my home - so lifelike, so real...so hard to explain.

I poured myself a drink and sat there examining it, wondering what Matty was thinking when the shot was taken. "Alright now, Charley, let's get on with it - I've got a game to pitch," maybe is one scenario. Nevertheless, it is one of Matty's finest portraits, and Graig captured it as no one else can.

To Graig - thanks again my new friend - your gifts are amazing - I look forward to more!

To Jimmy - thanks for introducing Graig to this board!

To the rest, please be sure to check out more of Graig's works here:

http://graigkreindler.com/

I'm not sure if everyone can comprehend how good Graigs work is, which is absolutely amazing. His eye for detail and color is perfect. His work is very simular to Norman Rockwells in the sense that it captures the essence of a moment. I can only imagine how nice it looks in person. Congrats on your Matty !

I said it before and I'll say it again....I think that Matty painting is the finest baseball painting I've ever seen. You're a lucky man Jacksons.

This is why we NEED to talk Greg into doing small one sto sell on the board! So cheapos like myself might get an opportunity to buy one as I will never be able to afford a work of art like that Mathewson in full scale.
COME ON EVERYONE GET BEHIND ME ON THIS!

+1, Dan

I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E Work, Graig

Finest baseball painting I've ever seen +2

Wow. This is the first time I saw it. The detail is amazing. It's as if someone took a color photograph of Matty. Really spectacular!

How about a photo of the painting displayed in your "Baseball room"?

ummm so anyone gonna back me up here?

Now that's one good-looking man.

Scary real work ya do there Greg.

Ditto
 

I said it when he posted it before... Best looking painting I can ever remember seeing. +3

Sean,
I asked the same thing before in a different thread. Whether it's card sized or even litho/poster prints doesn't matter to me. I'm in!

Jacksons,
I just want to say much I hate you:D Too bad they don't have a smiley for jealousy(insert about a hundred of them here). Now that we have discussed a sarcasm font, perhaps an envy font could be next?

Graig,
When I hit the powerball I will be calling you for about a hundred different subjects you could paint for me.

Mark

Hi Stan,
sorry I missed your post about it. Id love to see how he does on small size and I hope he does more deadball era stuff!

Amazing work.

I agree, would like to see more deadball era work and also more of Ruth.

Keep up the Great work.

Wow guys, thank you SO much for these sterling compliments. I don't think I could even name the red that my flattered cheeks have turned.

I just have to say, I showed my 14 year-old this and she was completely blown away by the Mathewson. She can't believe he gets the sort of detail he does using the medium he does.

She's an aspiring artist who excels at an Arts School herself. She's pretty damn good with the pen & pencil but hasn't worked up the confidence to get really serious with colors and paints.

Greg's art really inspired her and she's bookmarked his page and shared it with some of her artist friends.

so....um........yeah...um.......still waiting for Greg to make small paintings................whistling..........lookin g at watch............................................. .................................................. .......

Graig makes 8"x10" paintings.

unrelated:http://www.legendaryauctions.com/Lot...9_0757_lg.jpeg

so whens he gonna start selling them on here by request?

I'm quite certain Graig has contact info on his website. I'd start there. Every artist loves to get a commissioned piece.

Clearly I'm no photographer. I've done the best I can with the iPhone, for those of you who wanted to see it up on the wall.

On the adjacent wall is Sandham's 1897 version of "A Baseball Game", often referred to as (wrongly or not) "The Temple Cup Print".

In the foreground is an invitation to opening day of the New York Giants at the Polo Grounds, 1905.

The painting deseves better than this shot :(

If anyone cares to see it in person and you live in the NY metro area, let me know.

Thanks again, Graig!

It looks spectacular Jacksons! Well done. Best, Jimmy BTW... I looking at my Kreindler Ruth (from my Paul Thompson photo) and Kreindler Gehrig (from my Conlon photo) as I type this, so I truly understand how you feel.

Jacksons...

Looks marvelous. I like the way the reddish wall sets off Matty's facial tones. Just beautiful... Do you have any plans to find a frame for it, or are you leaving it as-is?

Holy canoli, Gerry!! I'm next to a Sandham?! That's friggin' awesome.

By the way, where in the New York area are you located?

Matt, tremendous photo. Is that tobacco juice on Matty's top or on the photo? Amazing clarity.

perezfan - I don't plan on framing it - recommended to leave as is and I agree. Framing these just doesn't feel right - takes the eye away from what it should see - the painting in total, without distractions.

Ladder - I believe Matt's Matty photo is available in Legendary's auction, closing tomorrow night.

It's not mine - it's currently in the Legendary auction and it's going for some INSANE money.

I remember seeing this bad boy on display in Cleveland. What a shot!!

http://www.legendaryauctions.com/Lot...00&category=85

The scan doesn't even do the thing justice, as it's beyond crystal clear. Now, I'm not one for figuring out proper photo Type labels (any help Jimmy?), but I'm 99% sure that the image of Matty is from 1912, a year after the Conlon image that I used for the painting.

Either way, it's a smokin' piece, and would make a GREAT painting!

Graig

Hey Graig - yes, looks to be a home uniform from 1912:

http://exhibits.baseballhalloffame.o...ar&increment=9

As far as the stampings go, tough to tell. Not sure what "Filed before 1919" means on it's reverse. But it looks to have "been around the block" a few times after 1919 based on the later stampings.

Someone is going to win a great photo. Whether it's a true Type 1 remains to be seen. I'd rather have your painting ;)

I agree. Type 1 or not, that photo's a winner. If someone on this board wins it, I might have to give my left arm for a scan. ;)

Did you happen to get my email from Friday, Gerry?

You're spot-on Gerry. I just got off the phone with Henry who is there. The Matty photo is certainly a true TYPE I. Lots of wear & tear but good luck finding another ;) Best, Jimmy

Craig, truly amazing work there
 

with the Matty. It is a very compelling representation of a ballplayer, not just an ordinary person.

I checked out your website, but didn't see it up there...was this Matty shared here a commissioned piece? and do you not show your commissioned works on your site? maybe I just missed it.

Do you offer limited editions or reproductions of your originals through any distribution channels of any sort?
Would love to know more if you do. I could see being very interested in repros of at least a handful of the pieces you feature on your website, and I am sure I'm not alone.

Absolutely fantastic work.

Jason,

Thank you so much for the kind words, I really appreciate them!

The Matty isn't up on the website yet, as I haven't been able to get it updated. Normally, I have a friend who handles all of that for me, but he's been super busy as of late. Actually, I've just started teaching myself how to do eveything without his help, so hopefully soon, the site will get fixed. Aside from the Matty, I actually have about 5-6 other paintings that need to go up on there.

In regards to prints, as of right now, I don't have any plans to go that route. My agent and I have weighed the pros and cons of the whole idea for almost two years now, and I think in the end, we'd just like to stick with originals. I remember when I was at the National this summer, I went to a booth that had lithos of artists like Bill Purdom, Stephen Holland, and others. I think it was called 'Art of the Stars' or something like that. Anywho, the owner of the booth/company was trying his best to reel me into his cavalcade of stars, and I just got really turned off to the whole idea. Maybe he was just really sleazy. For whatever reason, I just felt like if I was doing the same thing, my name and work would be lost in the shuffle, and it would just be another product for them to sell, if that makes any sense. I just really liked the idea of collectors having original, one-of-a-kind paintings, that would never be reproduced or done again.

At the same time, to sell lithos and prints of this kind of stuff artwork legally, it would require a large amount of legal red tape to jump over with all of the intellectual property issues and what not. MLB, MLBPA, the estates of the dead players and plenty of other people would need to be paid in order to for me not to worry about anything going wrong with a lawsuit.

Of course, if anything changes, I'll certainly let you and other members know the moment it happens.

Thanks again,

Graig

Graig... I really admire your philosophy (almost as much as your artwork!)

Your work is truly special, and that type of mass-production would perhaps take away some of the magic and allure. I just walk by those types of booths at the National, as the artwork all starts to look similar and somehow "cheapened".

So I know where you are coming from.... especially with regard to the "sleazy" factor. There are waaaay too many of those dealer types in this hobby (ranking right up there with used car salesmen...)

Please be sure to post when your site is updated!

FYI on Conlon's Matty from 1915
 

I believe the original photograph was taken in 1911, based on Okkonen's work and the ballpark ads.

Some don't agree...

FYI... from a 2007 Legendary auction:

http://www.legendaryauctions.com/Lot...x?lotid=75975#

This would have been the season when Matty finally lost the magic, dropping to eight wins this year after 12 straight seasons as a 20-game winner. "Big Six" was still a very dangerous hurler at this stage, but after this season he was no longer the man McGraw had always relied on the most. A bit of the frustration that Mathewson must have been feeling at this point seems to come through in the stern set of his jaw and the look in his eye. The one thing we are having a bit of trouble with in this photo is the cap, which appears to be from the 1911 season, while all of the other uniform details match those of uniforms worn in 1915. (Only the bill of the cap was dark for 1915.) Perhaps Matty was trying to bring the magic back, wearing one of the caps from his salad days for luck. In any regard, this outstanding original Conlon photo is one that all Matty fans want to own. It remains in exceptional EX/MT condition, with only the most minor of surface faults. The iconic photograph comes to us from a consignor who has had direct access to the Mathewson estate and who confirms its origin with Christy's wife, Jane Mathewson.