As an artist, Tom Mosser is always looking around for ideas. In the alleyway dumpster near his studio a discarded tire became a paintbrush to get tread marks on his canvas.
“That’s how I ended up painting with balls,” said Mosser, a Pittsburgh-based painter and muralist whose work appears in sports venues across the country. “If you look around and ask, ‘How can I make art in a different way that hasn’t been done before?,’ you start rolling tires or balls across a canvas and you’re creating art.”
“I don’t think anyone in the history of mankind has demonstrated painting with old basketballs,” said Mosser with a hint of sarcasm, acknowledging there’s no such thing as an original thought but that no other artists that he is aware are painting with tires, balls and shoe bottoms.
Many of Mosser’s clients are professional sports organizations. Using footballs to apply the paint, Mosser completed seven paintings for U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, where Super Bowl LII was played in February. He also contributed 36 pieces to Prudential Arena, home of the NHL’s New Jersey Devils, including a 200-foot-by-30-foot mural that is believed to be the largest interior mural in the world.
Inspired by an Andy Warhol quote, the theme of Mosser’s talk at A & I is “ideas,” in that everything that people do is an idea, whether that’s what to eat for breakfast, a shot selection in tennis or, in Mosser’s case, how to create art.
“Ideas and art are all around, you just have to look,” Mosser said. “The idea of looking around you and finding something completely fresh and new, if you do that, stuff happens.”
Mosser is no stranger to engaging audiences or the sports world. From 1990-97 he was the Pittsburgh Pirates’ mascot, the Pirate Parrot, before becoming a full-time, self-employed artist, commissioned for fine art as well as working with commercial clients.
In addition to his sports murals, some of his most successful commissions include “A Golden Retriever at the Museum,” a depiction of his dog, Lucas, staring at a still life painting of a tennis ball, a painting that Mosser said changed his life.
| Image Selection | "S" Logo, Vintage Lion Logo |
|---|---|
| Framing | Framed, Unframed |
| Size | 20 x 24 |
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Each print is signed by Tom Mosser, triple matted and framed in your choice of Black, Mahogany or Walnut wood moulding. Finished size is 17″ wide by 22″ high.
“BlueWhite in Black and White” is photographed by Jim Valent. This New image was captured by Jim Valent a PSU graduate in AgEcon who loves capturing images of his Alma Mater and surrounding area in its natural state.
“BlueWhite in Black and White” is available in the following sizes: 8×12, 11×17, 16×24 and 26×44.
Unframed images come in a white mat and are shrink wrapped for protection. The unframed 26×44 comes rolled in a tube. Each framed image includes double mats, glass, and your choice of black, mahogany, or walnut frame.
***Please Note: Although we try to keep the Plak Mounts in stock they do sell quickly. If we are out, it does take 4-6 weeks for us to replenish our supply.***
Each print is signed by Tom Mosser, triple matted and framed in your choice of Black, Mahogany or Walnut wood moulding. Finished size is 17″ wide by 22″ high.
Original one-of-a-kind multi-dimensional collage, hand-cut and assembled with mixed media.
There could not be a more appropriate artistic technique than the multilevel, hand cut, mixed media print employed by Steve Szynal (pronounced shin-nél) to capture the glamour and excitement of the many facets of life depicted in his art.
Szynal uses as many as seven layers, not just two or three as other artists use, to create a superior effect in this exciting art form. Each work is meticulously hand-cut and assembled by the artist himself with a supreme dedication to detail.
Steve Szynal graduated from Penn State University in 1987 with a five year professional degree in Architecture. He has become a licensed architect, and owns a successful lighting design firm; both which he draws upon in his art and design. His exceptional talent and technique have given new meaning to 3-D art, as visually exciting, fun, and collectable.
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, or black.
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)
Word Artist Dan Duffy brings a new twist on We Are. Both words and background are made up of words that include all the branch campuses, the different college, and iconic buildings on campus. Each print is 16 x 20 and only $49.95 unframed. Each print is hand signed by the artist on archival acid free paper.
The framed print measures 26 x 22 and is only $225. The print comes framed with a blue mat with a white v-groove and your choice of a mahogany, cherry, black or walnut frame.
Hand cut and hand painted these figurines make a great gift for anyone. Recent graduates would love a memento of their college days and who wouldn’t want to have a little Nittany Lion or JoePa around the house. Also available are Bill O’Brien and James Franklin! At 6 ½” h x 5 ½” w you can collect all of these knick-knacks.
Another moment in Penn State football history, the October 22, 2016 match-up with Ohio State. Previously unbeaten, Ohio State sustained their first loss of the season when the Nittany Lions blocked a field goal attempt, recovered and scored. PSU beat the Buckeyes 24-21 in Beaver Stadium during the forever famous “WhiteOut” of 2016.
All unframed photographs are matted and shrink wrapped ready to give to any PSU fan. Framed pieces are mounted, double matted, glassed and framed in your choice of Black, Walnut or Mahogany wood finishes.
If this is a gift, we will gladly gift wrap it for you…no charge…no kidding.