Intro
There is something intrinsically emotional, perhaps even romantic, about a baseball glove. By their nature, bats and balls are prone to wear and tear, but a glove, properly cared for, can last several seasons if not a lifetime or career. Some players even have unique relationships with their gloves. So when artist Sean Kane uses baseball gloves as a canvas for his work, exploring the relationship between a player and his equipment, it makes total sense. Kane creates his pieces with expert-level portraiture and a keen eye for period typography that gives his gloves a sense of depth and beauty. In Sean’s hands, the glove becomes more than simply a canvas; it becomes a piece of sculpture celebrating a player’s career and life.
Briefly give us your background.
I primarily create artworks featuring baseball greats using classic baseball gloves as my canvas. (Once in a while, a game-used base or a piece of glove leather or even a hockey puck will make it to my drawing desk, too.) Typically, these are custom orders for fans and collectors around North America, teams, and foundations. A fair number of Painted Gloves have been created for Hall of Fame players, and a few are in museum collections. I’ve been a full-time artist for 30 years, initially creating illustrations for publishing, products, and other commercial uses, and now primarily creating baseball art since 2013. I’m a Chicago-area native now living with my family about an hour from Toronto, working from my basement studio.
Did you play sports growing up?
I loved playing sports as a kid. Baseball, football, basketball in grade school, and then golf in high school. When my hitting (lack thereof) topped out at Little League level, I continued with endless games of Wiffle Ball throughout childhood. I was using my dad’s childhood glove by then, a Richie Ashburn signature model glove, which I adored.
How did you first get interested in art?
I remember drawing at my grandparents’ house while watching afternoon Cubs games as a boy, so my interest in art took root there. I used my model paints to paint over logos on the souvenir batting helmets that I wore during backyard Wiffle Ball marathons - I thought the coolest design was the Expos helmet, which I didn’t have, so I just altered what was available to make my own. I just loved the look of baseball— seen on cards (of course), great 1970s/80s uniforms, and at Comiskey Park and Wrigley Field. School trips included visiting the Art Institute of Chicago, which opened my eyes and hooked me for life. Thankfully, I had parents and teachers who encouraged me and my art interests.
Did you study art formally or are you self-taught?
I studied studio art in college, but my degree is in communications from another university, so I’ve got a mix of self-taught and formal art & design education. I definitely got lots of on-the-job training over the years as an illustrator, working to create solutions to fit specific design and conceptual needs. Personal work, when I was prepping to go see Ichiro arrive at Spring Training in 2001, is what initially led me to painting on a glove.
What inspires you most in creating art?
What consistently inspires me most in art-making is the possibility of creating objects that are surprising, striking— maybe even beautiful!— that could evoke memories, shared stories, and curiosity about players and moments. Coming up with something that could become a cherished keepsake while getting to explore what is possible within this sandbox I’ve created for myself pushes me forward. Of course, I’m also just really into baseball gloves— the look of them, the craftsmanship that goes into them, and their history, too— so getting to spend time with them is exciting. Lately, I’m inspired by the international game and the ways cultures express themselves via baseball; more of a view of the living game instead of a nostalgic look back at particular players.
How do you know you’re “in the zone” when you’re creating?
The feeling when working towards a design solution —one that feels dynamic, helps convey a player’s story well, fits the glove’s character, and works well as an ‘object’— and hitting upon something that touches all those bases, is just the best “in the zone” phase. Time flies by, meal times are forgotten, and it’s exciting. Later, once the design elements have been sorted out and the pieces are mapped out exactly where they need to be on the leather, I finally get to paint. I know I’m back in the zone while painting when I feel like I’m past the ‘ugly’ stage and the elements are coming together as a whole. I can breathe a bit easier then, and the years of experience lead to a more confident headspace that knows what to do next. Finally, packaging up the completed painting, usually as a special gift, has a flow state of its own: I’ve had my time with the work and now it’s heading to the person it’s meant for, so I’m thinking of how to enhance the moment of receiving the artwork and putting a bow on the whole experience for them.
How can Beauty of a Game readers follow you?
Readers can find me on Instagram and Facebook at PaintedGloves and on my website, www.SeanKaneBaseballArt.com
Favorite Sports Book?
Favorite sports book: I’m a pictures guy, so it’s The Game That Was: The George Brace Baseball Photo Collection. The book highlights his life’s work documenting the game and all the players who came through Chicago. I was fortunate to be able to order photos from his studio when I lived in the city, and they are now dotted around my workspace.
Favorite Sports Movie?
Favorite sports movie: Caddyshack (It counts, right?!). [AUTHOR’S NOTE: Of course it does!] It may have inspired my teenage employment choice to work around golf courses, including caddying and groundskeeping crew!
Favorite Sports Card?
Favorite sports card: Kaoru Betto, Hanshin (Osaka) Tigers, 1949 Kagome set, red border card #7537. I don’t own one, but other Japanese menko cards are on my studio walls. Like the Betto, their playfulness, design, print quality, and player depictions just light me up and fuel my curiosity about baseball in Japan, too.
These have left the world of "baseball memorabilia" and entered the world of fine art.