Artist Statement

Richard Sullivan

My artwork has been a direct reflection of my past as an athlete. Each time I paint, I am channeling the same energy I used to perform on the baseball field. Painting is a heightened experience similar to playing a sport. In both activities I have to allow myself to let go of fear, get into the flow and trust my intuition and instincts to guide me through.

My goal is to convey the intense focus and concentration of athletes at the highest level of competition. I draw from my past experience as a professional pitcher to harness the emotion of each moment I portray. I love exploring the similarities of two seemingly opposite endeavors and showing the world that we are all connected, in everything we do.

Richard Sullivan is an artist and former professional baseball player with the Atlanta Braves. Born and raised in Louisville, KY, he studied at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) where he received a BFA in Illustration. He had the opportunity to play baseball at SCAD and to continue his interest in art and illustration. In 2008, Richard was drafted by the Braves in the 11th round as a junior and played 6 years of minor league baseball. He returned to SCAD in 2014 to finish his degree and focus exclusively on his artwork.

His work has been featured nationally on MiLB.com, Fox Sports, and numerous magazines including the AJC, Kentucky Monthly, Insider Louisville, The Courier Journal, Louisville Magazine and the Louisville Voice.

Clients Include: Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Falcons, Woodford Reserve, Topps, Coca Cola, Omni Hotels, US Cellular, USO, The Kentucky Derby Museum, The Washington Post, The Washington Nationals,