In celebration of the NFL Draft and the Jaguars’ historic selection of the first overall pick, the team joined the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville in May to commission one-of-a-kind painted and autographed footballs commemorating the occasion.
The partnership will appeal to anyone who collects memorabilia, is passionate about the Jaguars and enjoys art or simply wants to support innovation within the arts and cultural community of greater Jacksonville.
Twenty official NFL footballs were dipped in white paint to create blank “canvases” and then painted by five well-known Northeast Florida artists. Each was commissioned to paint four footballs. The artists were Heather Blanton, Tabitha Skye, Alma Ramirez, Ted Head and Dustin Harewood.
“As an artist, I’ve painted many of the zoo’s animals, including the majestic jaguar sunning regally on a cliff,” said Head. “To me nothing symbolizes our team more than these marvelous creatures painted in oils. As we move into a new and exciting phase, it’s an honor to be part of the new season. After being constrained by the limits COVID placed on us, I, and the community, are ready to see the Jaguars regain their glory … with strength, cunning and a fighting spirit!”
The footballs were also autographed by Jaguars players, among them Josh Lambo, D.J. Chark Jr., Logan Cooke, Andrew Norwell and Collin Johnson. The footballs were auctioned off by the Jaguar Foundation.
Cultural Council Board Director Adriel Rocha, who serves as director of the Jaguars Foundation & Community Impact at The Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation, provided a unique fundraising opportunity leveraging the launching of the Cultural Council’s new ARTS + campaign with the NFL Draft.
“Ranging from abstract to realism, each work specifically or figuratively represents our Jaguars team and our city,” said Diana Donovan, executive director of the Cultural Council. “The ARTS + Sports collaborative partnership showcases Jacksonville’s creative economy, igniting a merger of artists and athletes to bring a fresh perspective to a quality of life we all share, as well as a commitment to serving our city together as a team of equity-driven placemakers.”
Funds remaining after a base stipend and percentage of the purchase price are paid to the artists will go to the Cultural Council to contribute to innovation-based grants, programming, events and additional areas of cultural collaboration.
