University of Georgia’s back-to-back football glory captured in new works by Macon artist
The aim to was to find a moment.
One that would capture the hearts and minds of Georgia Bulldogs’ fans.
One that might also catch the fancy of, say, any sports fan.
Artist Caleb Brown found one.
Then he settled on two — kindred images of triumph from celebrations in the aftermath of the University of Georgia football team’s championship seasons in 2021 and 2022.
One of Georgia coach Kirby Smart, the other of Bulldogs quarterback Stetson Bennett.
Brown, the artist, is a former Mercer University football player. He has in the past painted striking portraits of sports icons — Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant among them — and notable football figures, including Alabama Crimson Tide quarterbacks Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa and legendary coach Nick Saban. Brown has also painted images on cleats worn in games by NFL players.
Earlier this year in the wake of the Bulldogs’ back-to-back national titles, Brown painted near mirror images of Smart and Bennett, each with national championship trophies in hand. The paintings have, as a single print, been placed opposite one another.
The one of Bennett depicts him, eyes shut, planting a kiss on the golden prize his team won by beating Texas Christian University in January.
The painting of Smart shows the coach basking in the 2021 season’s title-game victory over Alabama. Smart is seen hoisting the trophy overhead, the look on his face one of a beaming father embracing a newborn.
Brown uses a variety of photographs to render the most authentic looks for the subjects he paints. He relied on a picture taken of Smart’s head this year and put it on Smart’s body from the 2021 season.
“You take a nose here, you take an eye there, you take a hand and kind of create something that’s close to your own,” Brown said.
Recalling Smart’s days as an assistant coach at Alabama, Brown joked recently, “He’s gained a little weight since he was at Bama. I thought it was funny when I was painting his neck. I was like, ‘Dang, Kirb, you’re getting a little big, bro.’ He’s getting that good money, man.”
Brown’s love of college football and the nostalgia it inspires led him to create the Georgia paintings.
“I know that doing this is gonna make a lot of people happy,” he said. “Every time they look at these prints on their wall they’re going to be taken back to that place. And that’s whether Georgia wins or loses.”
The cost for prints starts at $89 and goes up for framed versions and canvas options.
This story was originally published September 7, 2023 at 1:55 PM.