NY Rangers Gearing Up
From the Studios of Garin Baker
"Rangers vs Flyers" Oil on Linen, 44' X 84" 2010
Carriage House Art Studios
September 12th 2011
September 12th 2011
Detail, "Rangers vs Flyers" Oil on Linen, 44' X 84" 2010
As a youngster I remember vividly climbing down the fire escapes of the old Madison Square Garden # lll, located on 50th St. and Eighth Avenue. My Dad had taken me to see the NY Rangers play the Montreal Canadians for the last game of the 1968-69 season. The "Garden", we all know today is located on 34th St. and is presently under renovation and I can't wait to see what's in store. Being a life long Ranger fan I have been to countless games and I'm always amazed by the spectacular energy and intimate atmosphere The Garden provides... compared to so many other arenas. A couple of years ago I wanted to create a large oil painting of the Ranger Team bench. With all it's intensity in the midst of play as though you could see the game in everyone's face as they anticipated the action. I attended several games in 2008-9 season waiting for just the right moment, photographing and sketching. I even got thrown out of a seat or two trying to find the best vantage point. One day late in 2009 I was in Philadelphia. The Flyers are a huge rival team known as the "Broad St Bullies" and the Rangers were in town. I asked a young artist and colleague whom I was visiting if he wanted to go. He could care less about my ice hockey passion,... so I stub hubed a great seat for myself, just where I wanted to be and off I went. Surrounded by Philly fans who kept asking why my attention was focused on the Ranger bench, I had to play it off as to not get drenched with beer and went about my mission. The Rangers where loosing badly and the frustration in the team grew. But the score was the least of my concern as I have watched the Rangers get beat many times. Then all of a sudden as usually happens with Sean Avrey looking to spark his team mates, the moment for a striking painting had arrived.
The players...
The Coaches...
The Fans...
The Full Painting...
"Rangers vs Flyers'
Oil on Linen, 44" x 84", 2010 c.
The original is on view for The Grand Opening, September 17th, 6-9pm
27 Olcott Square (Rt. 202)
Bernardsville, NJ 07924
As a huge hockey fan, I LOVE this even if it is that stick waving punk Avery! Fabulous work. Any visiting fan going into Philly is in the lion's den, but being a Rangers fan, I'm sure you wore the kevlar vest right? Is that Carcillo he's throwing down with?
ReplyDeleteWow! Fantastic painting Garin! I'm going to show it to my Dad. He's a big Rangers fan as well.
ReplyDeleteThis is amazing! Are you selling prints of it?
ReplyDelete