NEW!!! ORIGINAL PLAYER AUTOGRAPHED ART AND PRINT COLLECTIONS OF THE 2010 STANLEY CUP CHAMPIONS ARE NOW AVAILABLE IN THE ON-LINE STORE! MANY ARE UNIQUE ITEMS-HURRY!
The Blackhawks are gearing up for another run at the Cup as the season heats up!
HawksFest was another great success for us and for the participants in all of the events! This was the third year of the 'Fest' and the third year of fantastic weather. My thanks to the Blackhawks, Brian Howe and of course, Sheila and all of the fans of my art and the Blackhawks.
It's the 50th Anniversary of the first artwork a Blackhawks player ever commissioned from me, and the 20th anniversary of the first portrait the Blackhawks Organization commissioned! Fifty years ago, a young Bobby Hull requested a sketch during an autograph signing in suburban Chicago. Who would've guessed that five decades later you could still find me 'on the glass' at practice prepping sketches for paintings? Actually, folks who know me aren't surprised at all! Twenty years ago, after doing countless pieces for individual players, the Club commissioned the first in a long series of milestones paintings, this one was to commemorate the 1000th game played by the Hawks' Bob Murray. I look at the photos on the wall of the Paradise Grill on West Madison and recall some of the players I've painted Milestone Paintings of for the Hawks-Murray, Larms, Goulet, J.R., Sutter, Cheli, Cote, Edso, Denis Savard...and all of the interesting characters I've known around the game, from the days of Arthur Wirtz and the Stadium to the guys laying the ice at the new Johnny's West. I was in the old building for two Stanley Cups-but only one went to the good guys. I've been able to play the old Barton organ at the Stadium, walk the catwalk to its pipe chamber, sit in the chain-linked pressbox, have a 7up in the organ loft with Keith Magnuson, shoot pucks in the old lockerroom and explore the cavernous basement of that awesome old barn! Fifty Years gone by-hard to believe-and now, A STANLEY CUP!!! As many of you know, I was out of commission for all of the celebrations and most of the summer after undergoing ankle surgery, and out all of the past season with knee surgery which I continue to rehab. Although I won't be around the building or practice much this summer, there will still be new art on this site every month and a new contest as well! GO HAAAAWKS!
p.s. You might get confused because my wife only looks twenty years old!
-tib
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My GALLERIES showcase selected work
The VIDEO player below shows a brief compilation of the TIBSTRA STUDIO history and services. You'll hear comments about my work from famous athletes like the Blackhawks' Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Adam Burish and even former Chicago Bears great Tom Waddle!
Jerry 'tib' Tibstra
The TIBSTRA ART STUDIO
815-935-1991
