Danielle Solzman
Renowned sports artist James Fiorentino reflects on his career, from painting baseball legends to becoming the youngest artist featured in Cooperstown. The conversation took place on Sunday morning at the 46th National Sports Collectors Convention
Known for his hyper-realistic watercolor portraits of athletes, Fiorentino recalls creating Ted Williams Twenty Greatest Hitters as a teenager, the surreal experience of meeting baseball icons, and the honor of having his work displayed in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum at just 15. He shares insights into his creative process, reflects on balancing college baseball with art, and offers advice to aspiring artists navigating today’s competitive landscape. From fan interactions at The National to global recognition, James Fiorentino’s passion for sports and painting continues to define a singular artistic legacy.
It was only appropriate in the days following Ryne Sandberg’s passing that James Fiorentino had a signed watercolor of Ryno was on display. Other artwork on display included portraits of Albert Pujols, Mickey Mantle, Frank Thomas, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Honus Wagner, Derek Jeter, etc.
Your work on display at The National Sports Collectors Convention is really impressive. Is there any piece in particular—here or elsewhere—that holds the most meaning for you?
James Fiorentino: I think for me, I always tell people, I think it’s the Ted Williams Twenty Greatest Hitters I did for Ted. I don’t own that painting anymore, but I did that when I was about 17 years old. It was about the biggest painting at the time. It was probably around 40 by 50 inches.
That painting was—Ted Williams selected the 20 greatest hitters, which was pretty amazing. It had a book on it. I had flown out to meet Ted and the players who had signed it at that time—all the guys who were alive—were Mantle, DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Hank Aaron, Musial, Schmidt, Ralph Kiner.
It was just so meaningful to me to be able to meet all those guys at that age and the size of the painting and all that. I think that will always be the biggest one for me.
The thing that impressed me as I was perusing your biography on your website is that you were drawing fully developed anatomy at the age of three years old.
James Fiorentino: I mean, it’s probably exaggerated. I still have it at home, but I drew a figure with arms and legs. It was obviously, I guess, advanced for that age, but it was one of those things that was definitely born with me.
I’ve been drawing ever since I can remember, coloring, and literally wanting to paint and draw every day. It’s all I wanted to do. It was either play sports or draw, and obviously, you paint what you love, and so even at those early ages, doing things that were sports and wildlife and nature, but even things I collected. So yeah, it’s been there since I was very young.
You’re considered one of the most renowned sports artists in America. How honored are you when you hear something like that?
James Fiorentino: It’s a big honor because it is something that I always wanted to achieve and I’ve been doing it for so long.
I think for me—I’m like most guys—I’ve been painting since I was 15 years old, professionally, even really 14. I’ve been able to do a lot with my art and sports art, even beyond the sports art. But as far as baseball art or sports art is concerned, yeah, a lot of museums, I’ve worked with a lot of players and people, published a lot with all that work, so it is an honor to be able to hear all that.
Who are some of your influences?
James Fiorentino: Influences in art in general—which doesn’t really, well, some of it does—but guys like Rockwell and Wyeth have always been my favorites.
From sports art, it was guys like Gerry Dvorak, LeRoy Neiman, Dick Perez, Merv Corning, and Bruce Stark. There’s just so many sports artists I looked up to when I was younger. Some of them were even mentors and I knew them so seeing all of their work at a young age was something that I was trying to achieve.
Do you have a particular process from concept to completion?
James Fiorentino: No. It all depends on if I’m being commissioned by clients or if I’m doing something specific.
For example, the Baseball Hall of Fame Yearbook cover this year. They’ll provide me with images to work from and we talked about whether it be more action or portrait and the balance of it. Like anything, I’ll sketch things out to show them what the concept is and just get it approved. Then you go to the paint.
I think what’s unique for me is all the work you’re seeing here is watercolor. So even for professionals when they see it, they can’t believe it’s watercolor. It looks almost like acrylic, oils, or very photorealistic. But yeah, that’s basically the process for it.
How honored were you to have been the youngest artist to ever have your work on display at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown?
James Fiorentino: It was definitely really cool especially being that age—15—and seeing all the people. That was probably the first time I noticed how many people were really viewing my work.
Having the Reggie Jackson, it was in the induction case with his stuff. Seeing everybody taking photos with it, next to it, yeah, it was a big deal.
Even all these years later now, having this this new painting in the Hall of Fame, I still got a very similar feeling to it. That kind of stuff early on is really what kicked off my career.
You played high school baseball and college baseball. Did you ever consider going pro or was there a point when you realize that you have to move on and start a career?
James Fiorentino: I knew that going into college. I was a pretty good high school baseball player, was an All-State group one shortstop and played shortstop for four years at Drew University.
That’s a whole other level and a whole other commitment but I feel like just to be able to—because I had a choice of going to an all-art school or being able to play baseball in college and do other things, like major in art and business and things like that, so that ended up being the best choice for me.
But yeah, I mean, the dream was to be the short stop for the Yankees. I mean, that’s the dream as a kid, but I just was happy that I was able to extend my baseball through college.
And then that position was taken for a number of years!
James Fiorentino: Yes. Yeah, that is the cool thing. I just saw Jeter at the Hall of Fame last week, but yeah, being able to actually watch a guy like that, almost around my age, a little bit older, was amazing to see.
What do you enjoy the most about attending events like The National?
James Fiorentino: I’ve been lucky to be at a bunch of Nationals over the years. This is probably one of the biggest—this is the biggest I’ve ever seen. It’s exciting.
I mean now, it’s unlike the Nationals I was at when I was younger. It’s just bigger and higher end collectors, people who really understand the world of art. I think the art side of it is more popular now than it ever was. I’ve met people from other countries here. I don’t think that I’ve ever seen that before.
So yeah, I mean it’s just an amazing thing to reconnect with fans who know my work for the last 25-30 years, and new people, people who have never seen my work before, people who may have seen that I painted for these card companies and don’t even realize it was me. So it’s a lot of fun. It’s great to see all of them.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to break into sports art?
James Fiorentino: I do see a lot of people now doing it more than ever, for sure. It’s the most competitive it’s ever been. I’ve got a lot of artists who contact me about it out of all different ages.
I think it’s like anything else. You need to paint a lot. You need to get your work out there. You need to do events and shows. You need to showcase your stuff. I think it’s probably easier with social media now. I didn’t have that when I was growing up.
But it’s just like anything else, if you have a passion for it, go out and get it.
Thank you.
James Fiorentino: You’re welcome.
Some of James Fiorentino’s Artwork on Display at The National
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