My neighborhood on Long Island was fiercely divided. Neighbors took sides, and this animus bled into the streets… during roller hockey games. You were either an Islanders fan, or a Rangers fan — never both. I was, and remain, the former. During the 2009 season, a familiar name hit the ice — Trevor Gillies. He quickly became a fan favorite, and remained that way, even when the Coliseum faithful found out, he wasn’t, in fact, related to the legend — Clark Gillies.

How did this portrait come to be? During our first summer in Teton Valley, we attended a charity event at Teton Springs. There, I met a gentleman named Michael. As it happens, Erin and I  found out the gender of our third child that evening, so Michael took me to the clubhouse for a celebratory shot of Jam-O. During our chat, I confessed my love for hockey, and he revealed the name of his brother-in-law — Trevor Gillies. And so, the wheels were set in motion…

Here is a look at the entire creative process, in time lapse. The track, Powerful Vibes (feat. Dolio The Sleuth, GR Stone & Stewie), has been provided by MH the Verb… run, don’t walk, to his website and buy his new album — Afronaut… yes, I painted the album cover.

And now… on to the process, with more about the story behind this new painting.

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