I was already a portrait artist when I arrived at the University of Kansas. I immerse myself in my subjects when I work. When I painted Beethoven, I listened to his symphonies the entire time I created his portrait. It helped give that piece the stormy feel that I experience while listening to his compositions. Oh, and he died before photographs came about and I didn't want to paint from other paintings, so I began my search for a model with similar facial features. I told my roommate in college I needed to find a guy with a German nose, a cleft chin, a square jaw, deep-set eyes, and predominant cheek-bones.
That's when it hit me. Beethoven was going to be a self portrait. We grabbed a shop light and lit me up for dramatic effect. I made the typical Beethoven scowl and hit the studio. When I neared the end of the painting, I laid the photos of the other painting of him out and tweaked the facial features back to be more like him and less like me.
I listened to the music of classical guitarist great, Andre Segovia while painting him.
I’ve been painting murals since I was 13 years old and I’m happy to share them with you via Prints and Actual-Size Reproductions that you can apply to the walls of your home or business. After creating the Patrick Mahomes portrait in oils and adding him to the mural in my friend's extreme man cave, I have been included in a group of Kansas City Chiefs artists. They're a fun group and inspire me to create. The Chiefs mural I mentioned and have listed in my gallery of prints for sale was featured in the New York Times.
Here is a link to that story: https://www.NYTimes.com/2018/10/14/sports/patrick-mahomes-kansas-city-chiefs.html
Here's a story about my portrait of Patrick Mahomes
This is MY BACKSTORY as a Multipotentialite
Check out My July 8, 2021 Appearance on the Ask Pat 2.0 Podcast. https://www.facebook.com/656997349/posts/10159226729792350
This is a link to MY WRITING https://ChrisFleckWriter.com
I've been a professional freelance artist for years as well as a writer, branding coach, commercial producer/director, stand-up comedian, and musician. In college, I marketed myself as Chris Fleck - One Creative Guy.
My art business has been designated as a "Trusted Art Seller" with The Art Storefronts Organization, which means you can shop with confidence, and know that I stand behind the quality and value of my products.
When I visit the Nelson Adkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, I head straight for their growing collection of Impressionism. It's the type of painting that inspires my work. I look at an actual Rembrandt, my hero, and experience the way he handled light, color and form. It's quite moving.
One day my 5 year old daughter, Marissa (at the time, she's now 28.) tried to convince me she couldn't paint or draw. I promised her if she would give me the day I would prove her wrong. And I did. It's one of our favorite memories. However she remembers it as the day Dad sat on her little chair and broke it to pieces.
Once I unblocked her mind of negative limitations, I opened her mind to paint shapes, edges and colors as she saw them, instead of preconceived notions of what she came to belive were true. "Eyes are not shaped like footballs", I said. "Paint what you see." And she did. This is the same philosophy I share with my adult students in my attic studio on Saturdays.
https://www.facebook.com/Studio-2225-673861896329452/
Education: The University of Kansas – BFA Design – Illustration 8-83 - 5-88
Projects: Royals/Chiefs Mural featured in the New York Times:
https://www.NYTimes.com/2018/10/14/sports/patrick-mahomes-kansas-city-chiefs.html
Patrick Mahomes portrait featured on KMBC Channel 9, ABC in Kansas City: Mahomes: https://youtu.be/uSE2uycHI6w
ChrisFleckArt.com - Freelance Caricature Artist, Illustrator, Painter, Muralist, Sculptor, Visual Designer, Graphic Designer, Portrait Artist and Graphic Designer
Courtroom Artist - ABC Affiliate KQTV - On Staff Courtroom Artist for numerous trials.
ChrisFleckWriter.com - Freelance Writer 1995 - Present.
Exclusive Jim Henson’s Muppets Performance Workshop - By Invitation Only - New York, NY - Jim Henson and Jane Henson, other Muppet performers in attendance. Scouting Session: One on One Interview with Jane Henson, Roundtable session with Jim Henson. Muppet Performance Screen Tests and Tour of Studios & Workshop. We studied techniques in Puppeteering and took a tour of Muppet Studios.
Dennis Miller Radio Program - Jan 2007 – Mar 2015 - Frequent Caller on Dennis Miller Radio Program and The Dennis Miller Option Podcast. Contributed to Humorous Extemporaneous Discussions. When I can make one of my favorite comedians laugh I’m having a pretty good day. https://youtu.be/jafaw821I_0
* Sports Videographer 1989 – 2006 Kansas City Chiefs Football for ABC Affiliate KQTV Sportscast Videographer / Photographer / ENG
Creative Boot Camp 1998 – 2005 Established and facilitated Mid-America Cable Show's "Creative Bootcamp" - An annual workshop series of presentations and activities to inspire creativity in television advertising production.
Sloppy Joe Show 1997 Award Winning Children’s Program - Creator, Executive Producer, Director, Segment Writer, Producer, Director, Set Designer, On-Camera Talent
Noieshead January 1990 – May 1995 Alternative Music Video Program. Creator, Executive Producer, focus on Live Music, Concert Coverage, Band Interviews and Music Videos. I can never mention this project without saying that I interviewed Radiohead.
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