ART

By Megan Montemarano

Cortney Wall knew she wanted to be an artist at the age of 15. What she didn’t know was that this lifelong passion would lead her to become one of the few female sports artists in the country, with one of the most unique styles and approaches by a long shot (no pun intended). From baseball bats and footballs to hockey sticks and tennis balls, Cortney uses sports equipment to bring a new layer of authenticity and depth to her work, which has been commissioned by some of the top athletes and organizations in the world.

Growing up as a dedicated athlete in a sports-loving household in Upper Saddle River, Cortney began experimenting with sports as her main artistic subject in high school, going on to attend Parsons School of Design in New York City. While educators, family and friends supported her along the way, she considers herself mostly self-taught and is always learning.

“Each painting I create teaches me a new lesson and makes me a better artist,” comments Cortney. “That is one of the most rewarding aspects of my career.”

One of her original major projects began with the New York Yankees Scoreboards Department while in college.

“When I first got the call to come into the stadium for an interview, I was on the train commuting to college and thought I was being pranked,” recalls Cortney. “It wasn’t until a few minutes into the conversation –and pinching myself – that I realized it was a real opportunity.”

Her job was to paint the starting lineup. The paintings would then be displayed on the jumbotron screen in the stadium when each Yankee stepped to the plate.

“Growing up a Yankee fan, it was incredible to see my work displayed in the final season of the old stadium,” comments Cortney.

Soon after, the N.Y. Yankees also commissioned her to paint during a video interview for batting practice and deliver that painting to CC Sabathia on the field of Yankee Stadium as his welcome gift for joining the club.

“This experience inspired my live painting business,” Cortney explains. “I learned how much I enjoyed painting for specific events and live audiences.”

Live painting is just that – painting an event as it happens, enhancing memorable moments during golf outings, galas, corporate functions and other sporting events. Some of her most notable live painting events include The Turn 2 Foundation’s Private Party; celebrating Derek Jeter’s Induction

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into the Baseball Hall of Fame; Super Bowl LIV and LV’s Culinary Kickoff; David Cone’s Perfect Game 20th Anniversary Party; David Wells’ Perfect Game 20th Anniversary Party; The Players Alliance Conference; Bernie Williams and the All Star Band Annual Softball Game and Concert in Ridgefield, Conn.; and Joe Namath’s Jupiter Golf Outing. She has also appeared three times on the MLB Network to showcase her artwork.

Cortney’s own athletic background, specifically as a pitcher, has greatly impacted this exceptionally demanding and time-oriented aspect of her business.

“There’s a lot of pressure that comes with pitching. There’s nothing like having the bases loaded with a 1 and 2 count. It’s no different than the clock counting down at an event that I’m painting live. Moments like these are when I’m at my best.”

In fact, it was during one of these live painting events that Cortney realized her true artistic trademark — adding an unmatched level of depth and texture to the scene she is capturing using sports equipment instead of your standard paintbrush. The idea came to her while painting live in Madison Square Garden during the USTA Foundation’s World Tennis Day in 2015. Cortney was hired to paint courtside during the exhibition match featuring Roger Federer, Grigor Dimitrov, Monica Seles and Gabriella Sabatini. The objective was to complete a painting from start to finish that captured the match along with various logos.

“I love working under pressure and was a little pressed for time to finish the painting. With cameras on me and the clock counting down, I grabbed tennis balls out of my bag, dipped them in paint, and got to work! I instantly fell in love with what was happening before my eyes on the canvas between the mark making and the new painting tool I had discovered. Following this event, I was eager to get back to my studio and explore working with sports equipment to bring a new element of interest to my art.”

Between the live painting and this clever stylistic approach, her artwork has since added an unforgettable angle to numerous events and fundraisers, helping to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for charities across the country. One of her proudest projects are the murals that adorn the walls of Hackensack University Medical Center, where Cortney was born. These five brilliant paintings were created to uplift the patients and inspire the staff who pass through the halls.

She also considers her two painted chairs, titled “The Same Game,” to be one of her best and most meaningful works. These chairs are part of a permanent collection of the Negro Leagues and have been traveling the country for over 20 years in an exhibit called “Shades of Greatness.”

Cortney’s flourishing fine art business now has numerous acclaimed partnerships including Fanatics. She is also a proud philanthropic partner with the Women’s Sports Museum, of which she is a board member, The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, The Joe Namath Charitable Foundation, The Players Alliance and The Baltimore Orioles Foundation, along with several others.

“Having an art career means playing the long game,” comments Cortney. “Always experiment and have fun in the process. The most beautiful – and sometimes career-making – discoveries come from trying new things and creating art for the sake of exploration and enjoyment.”

Cortney’s work takes, on average, one to three weeks to complete and she is open to all requests – no subject matter is off limits. While her specialty remains in sports art, she takes pride in bringing each and every one of her client’s ideas to life with authenticity and meticulous attention to detail.

“When I was 17, I met the great American artist Leroy Neiman at a gala event. I asked him what his one piece of advice would be for an emerging artist. He said, ‘Do it your way.’”

This advice most certainly stuck with Cortney throughout her career. It led her to discover her love and style of painting with sports equipment, resulting in works unlike anything else in the sports and art industry.

Be sure to explore her most recent limited-edition series, featuring Aaron Judge with her partners at Fanatics Authentic. For more information, visit her website at www.cortneywall.com. You can also connect with Cortney via Instagram @artist.cortney.wall or Facebook, facebook.com/cortneywallfineart.