Steve Penley’s portrait of Lee Corso joins College Football Hall of Fame collection

Steve Penley s portrait of Lee Corso is part of the permanent art collection at the College Football Hall of Fame Photo courtesy of College Football Hall of Fame Atlanta artist Steve Penley has painted U S presidents civil rights leaders Coca-Cola bottles and technicolor florals that look like ice cream refusing to melt His subjects are constantly familiar but Penley s cure bold saturated alive with force renders them new again This summer he added another American icon to his collection ESPN broadcaster and retired football coach Lee Corso The portrait now installed at the College Football Hall of Fame in Downtown Atlanta captures Corso s signature grin headset in place set against a riot of colors meant to evoke the fandom he helped fuel I think my typical style made for a perfect match to Coach Corso s incredibly vibrant personality Penley revealed Corso who signed off ESPN s College GameDay in at age changed the nature of sports broadcasting when he first donned a mascot head in That irreverent move made him as much a part of the college football experience as the games themselves Fans came to expect his showmanship each Saturday morning chanting his name waving signs and waiting for the big reveal of which group he would pick Atlanta artist Steve Penley in his studio Photo courtesy of Steve Henley It s tough to translate all of that into paint Penley admitted Sometimes I feel like it might happen by accident but I think the brush strokes and colors of this painting really help liven the subject and showcase the traits that have helped make Coach Corso such a notable figure The background explodes with every shade of the stadium a kaleidoscope of hues designed with intention This was the perfect way for me to make sure all the teams were covered and that nobody could come to me later on and say Hey you forgot about my Hilltoppers Penley noted this piece speaks to Atlanta being a sports hotbed and I think it fits the cultural component as well Coach Corso though he definitely fits both areas as the epitome of college football in America and a cultural figure that everyone has come to know and love Artist Steve henley From Athens to Atlanta s Hall of Fame Born in Chattanooga in and raised in Athens and Macon Penley studied at the University of Georgia and later at the School of Visual Arts in New York His rise began when Atlanta attorney Bob Steed championed his work introducing his energetic brushwork and historical portraits to collectors across the city This day Penley is recognized nationally for his interpretations of American history and icons including paintings of Washington Lincoln Churchill and Martin Luther King Jr that are displayed in homes boardrooms and museums Coach Corso fits into this collection perfectly though he is a little more latest than particular of my other works Penley reported The bulk of the people I paint are long past but I think he will go down in history as an American icon Coach Corso became just as big a part of college football as the tournament itself and he absolutely left his mark on this world Read More Georgia Reads Day taking place at College Football Hall of Fame on Sept Brookhaven City Council approves funding for multi-use paths and sidewalks An Atlanta Moment For Penley the commission carried extra weight It can be a little scary to have your work displayed in your hometown where people know you because maybe people love the piece and others might not like it he noted But regardless I m honored to have my work permanently displayed in my hometown and especially at the College Football Hall of Fame That homecoming is fitting Atlanta has long billed itself as both a sports town and a cultural capital The Corso portrait embodies that intersection a reminder of how art can capture the essence of a tournament and the personality of a man who made millions of fans feel like part of the show Obviously this piece speaks to Atlanta being a sports hotbed and I think it fits the cultural component as well Penley reported Now Coach Corso though he definitely fits both areas as the epitome of college football in America and a cultural figure that everyone has come to know and love I think Coach Corso creates that bridge The post Steve Penley s portrait of Lee Corso joins College Football Hall of Fame collection appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta