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life-size painting of Kirby Puckett is taking shapeC.J., Star Tribune Last update: March 15, 2006 – 11:11 PM Background photo by CJ http://www.startribune.com/464/story/310285.html A few weeks ago Frank Ronneng teased his friend, portrait painter Mark Sanislo, about the absence of black faces in his gallery. "Well, he now has one," Ronneng e-mailed me. Sanislo is painting a life-size Kirrrrrrby Puckett! "I started it Friday around the lunch hour," Sanislo said Monday. He was amused that I was already aware of the painting, having seen it before opening Ronneng's e-mail. It's quite nice. "Well, thank you," Sanislo said. "There's more to go."
After Puckett died last week, Sanislo said his four sons -- Richard, 12, Joe, 10, David, 8 and John, 6 -- were going through their sports memorabilia and trying to prod Dad into drawing or painting a superstar. "Kirby Puckett was a big deal for us," Sanislo said. "What really fascinates me is that my boys were either in diapers or not born yet, but the name Kirby Puckett just rolls off their tongues like he's a guy who plays now." Sanislo is not sure what he'll do with the painting after it spends about a month in the window of his gallery. "You know what, if the right person shows the right amount of interest, there it will go," he said. "No biggie. Most of the art I do goes out my door and on someone's wall." Speaking of no biggies, on Tuesday someone came into the gallery to jest about the flattering weight at which Sanislo is painting Puckett. Puck was once that skinny, I told the gallery visitor. "Yeah. We were all that skinny once," Sanislo said. Puckett, like Elvis, should be remembered at whatever size one prefers. |
   Artist memorializesPuckett on canvas 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS http://kstp.com/article/stories/S14900.html http://kstptv5.com/article/stories/S14900.html Updated: 03/16/2006 09:33:17 PM Audio Video From KSTP 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS An artist is adding to all the ways to remember Kirby Puckett with a painting of the Twins legend.  While the Twins have painted his number on
the field at their Fort
Myers spring training facility and players will be wearing his number
34 on a patch on their sleeves, Mark Sanislo is hoping fans will
also appreciate his work. Sanislo’s painting is on display in the Minneapolis skyway, and appeared to draw a significant amount of interest.  Sanislo
says it could be the first in a series of what he calls
‘Minnesota Legends.’ He says his children inspired him
to paint Puckett.“They were as excited about dad doing Kirby as anything, and they act as if Kirby is present day ball player,” Sanislo says. Sanislo may donate the painting if the Twins or a local charity expresses interest. |