Sports

Pittsburgh speed painter focuses on local sports stars

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh is most often identified by its bridges, hard work and of course, its sports teams.  A local artist is on a mission, using his talent and love of Pittsburgh, for a good purpose.  And he’s doing it with the help of some of Pittsburgh’s most popular athletes.

Cody Sabol craves bright colors, Pittsburgh and speed.  Most of the paintings he does are completed, start to finish, in about 15 minutes.

Sabol said, “It’s a panic attack every time I’m up there doing something live.  It’s a little bit chaotic but there’s a rhythm to it.  You throw as much paint on the canvas as possible and hope it turns into something nice.  I want to make the most realistic painting in the least amount of time with the least amount of paint.”

It was a painting of Phil Kessel that really set things into motion for Sabol.  Since then he’s worked with star athletes like Josh Harrison, Cam Heyward and the captain, Sidney Crosby.

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“It’s surreal.  Actually I just didn’t want to screw up.  Honestly it’s just an honor to give him something that he wants from me. It’s crazy,” said Sabol.

So why sports?  Sabol said, “The reason I do a lot of sports stuff is that it’s really charitable.  It inspires me that they are using their platform for sports to give back.”

His work has impressed those athletes as well.  Jameson Taillon said, “He’s got a gift. He’s done something for me. The painting he did for me is something that I’ll get to keep for life.  You know he’s been really giving for our whole team.  He does great work.”

Josh Harrison added, “For one, he didn’t have a picture that he was going off of. He studied a picture for a couple weeks and painted it off the top of his memory and I thought that was pretty cool.”

Sabol is now working on custom spikes for the Pirates to wear on Players Weekend, and then to be auctioned off for charity.

 

Cox Media Group

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