AFC Champs
By Anthony “AO” Oropeza
2020 / Media: Acrylic & Mixed Media / Surface: Wood Board / Size: 24″ x 36″
Original: $3,200
“AFC Champs” – an AO Original of Patrick Mahomes
Another fantastic original sports piece by Kansas City’s very own – AO! This dynamic piece celebrates the Kansas City Chiefs first AFC Championship in fifty years. The piece is a tribute to the extraordinary game in 2020 and features an image of head coach Andy Reid, the Lamar Hunt Trophy and the game MVP – Patrick Mahomes.
Three Pieces of Art in One Painting
If you are an art and design lover or not, the combination of what is going all in this piece is astounding. The layering of this painter’s design could keep your eyes on it for hours. The three layer combination of abstract background, graphic design layout structure and foreground center piece is starting to become another Oropeza design trademark. “It is almost like all the self-teaching, books read, designers studied, advise from other artist/designers, designer interviews, community college classes and 20 years of full-time web and designer work is starting to payoff …”, Oropeza states jokingly.
The background abstract – AO’s use of color combinations and stroke movement gives you a feeling that the abstract background could stand alone itself. Then there is the texture. The background not a one-layer layer of paint. As you study it, the background shows its multiple colors with its multiple layers which possibly indicates a thoughtful walkthrough process in his decision-making process when applying each stroke.
The layout – this layout design of the “AFC Champs” clearly shows a great layout of graphic elements that compliment and enhance this piece to a very high level. The selection, the graphic enhancement per image and use of image repetition is a tribute to his layout and graphic software experience. And the placement of each element makes it easy to travel through the piece similar to a well designed route for a wide receiver. And the use of color for the images does not overwhelm the center focal piece of Mahomes holding the coveted Lamar Hunt Trophy.
“It is almost like all the self-teaching, books read, designers studied, advise from other designers, designer interviews, community college classes and 20 years of full-time web and designer work is starting to payoff …”, Oropeza states jokingly.
The Mahomes center piece – For AO it is about the moments. This moment Patrick Mahomes lifted the Lamar Hunt Trophy in the air as MVP was a fist pumping moment for all Kansas City football fans and especially for AO. The utilization of his texture and gritty touch to Mahomes is an AO trademark and then there is the trophy. The attention to color and color tone in the reflection and shine of the trophy is a new level of work AO has never displayed in previous pieces.
The “AFC Champs” work is something all Mahomes, sports and art fans need to see up close and in person.
A Kansas City Designer / Painter / Artist
Since AO took up the brush again around 2012-2013, his two goals from the start were to put 100% in to his pieces to see what it would take for him to put out a really good work, and to see if his art could help supplement his income for current and future bills. He didn’t know how difficult and fullfilling the the journey would be. The beauty and social media response of AO’s “AFC Champs” is an extraordinary one.
Without an agent, a gallery rep or a commissioned sales person, AO has been chisseling at what he calls “a small spot” in the KC sports art field. And has it been easy – “not at all”. People think the “painting life” is just find have an idea, find an awesome image, and then paint it, and it might be for some, and “maybe to the more gifted and talented” (per AO). People also believe he is always meeting all these awesome athletes he paints – and he is not. None.
That’s right, believe it or not, AO has never met any of the athletes he has painted. You won’t see any pics of him with any pro players on social media. Yes, he has had pics with two mayors (Sly James (KCMO) and Dave Alvey (KCK) , and yes, there are a handful of pros that have his work (original or print) like Eric Hosmer, Jarrod Dyson, Danny Duffy, Albert Pujols and the Mahomes family to name a few, but he has never met any of the athletes – and believe it or not, he is ok with it.
“My goal with my art work is the same thing as it is with my full-time web and graphics work, it is to focus on the work (design, the audience/user, the color, the quality, communication, etc.) and put out the best I can with the elements & assets I am given (for the project), and with the talent I have – which isn’t much (talent).”, he says jokingly. AO also adds, “And to me, it is more important to be more of a success – as a designer/artist, a business guy, in life, in work, with friends and people, helping others and giving back – that stuff is not about being famous. Fame is for the other guy.”
AO hopes followers of AO’s social media FB / Insta / Twitter (shameless plug) do not mistaken his frequent post of his progression shots as an attempt to be “internet famous”. His hope is that the social media posts showcase his work, attract clients, show the tough and long process of creating a piece of work and that it inspires young and older creatives to understand what it takes to get better and to keep pursuing the arts if that’s what motivates them.
Limited Edition Prints
AO doesn’t attempt to sell thousands of prints of his work, so if interested, get your limited edition print and it will signed by AO himself. Check out the AOART5.com/store today!
Interested In Your Own Original?
Interested in purchasing this piece or commissioning your own original, please contact the AOART5 Studio.