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Minimalist Nittany Lion Mascot Penn State

$30.00$150.00

Nittany Lion Mascot by Minimalist Artist S. Preston is a digital print enhanced on matte paper.  All art posters measure 11×17 in size.  Framing options are available in mahogany, walnut, black or cherry.

About the print:

The Nittany Lion traces its origins to 1907 graduate Harrison D. “Joe” Mason. Before a baseball game against Princeton in 1904, Mason and other members of the University’s baseball team were shown a statue of Princeton’s Bengal tiger, which the Princeton students claimed was “the fiercest beast of them all.”

In recalling the moment four decades later at the Nittany Lion Shrine dedication, Mason said, “An idea came to me, and I replied, ‘Well, up at Penn State we have Mount Nittany right on our campus, where rules the Nittany Mountain Lion, who has never been beaten in a fair fight.’”

In the coming decades, the Nittany Lion evolved to become “the symbol of Penn State’s best,” appearing not only at athletic events, but at celebrations, fundraisers and outreach efforts on campus and in the local community.  In June of 2019,  Penn State’s Nittany Lion was officially inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame on June 16 in Whiting, Indiana.

The Nittany Lion was one of four mascots enshrined over the weekend, including Tommy Hawk from the National Hockey League’s Chicago Blackhawk, Benny the Bull from the National Basketball Association’s Chicago Bulls and Sluggerrr from Major League Baseball’s Kansas City Royals. (Courtesy: Penn State News)

Description

Artist Statement:

I like to let my artwork speak for itself.  I love to see and hear the reactions that my artwork elicits.  My artwork makes people smile.  I often hear comments such as, “Very cool!” or “So unique!”.  I am lucky to have many fans who advertise my art by word of mouth.   In some cases, those fans work in some prestigious media outlets.

Me and my artwork have been featured in DeadspinSports Illustrated, ESPN, Bleacher ReportsFanSidedUSA TodayEntertainment Weekly and Yahoo! Sports.  You can also read about me in the LA Times, New York Daily News, Minnesota Star TribuneKansas City Star, Tampa Bay Times, and Orange County Register. I am a featured artist at several All-Star Games for the MLB and NHL.    My minimalist artwork is displayed in many ballparks across the country, in several art galleries, and scattered throughout the offices of sports executives and corporate leaders. I also recently opened my own sports art gallery in Anaheim, California one block from Disneyland.

“The goal of my minimalist art is to create an instantly identifiable subject using the fewest elements, basic shapes, and color palette.” – S. Preston

My focus is to change the way sports and art collide using simplicity and clean design.  The plan is very simple – create artwork that connects sports fans to their deepest passion for the game. If you are a baseball fan, my minimalist artwork should grab you almost immediately.  It might trigger a nostalgic feeling with memories of attending your first professional baseball game as a kid, or of taking your kid to his or her first game.

“Create artwork that augments and connects sports fans to their deepest love for the game”

Additional information

Framing Options

Unframed, Mahogany, Black, Walnut, Cherry