My Interview with Minimalist Artist S. Preston
By: Shane Salmonson
Have you seen any of the Minimalist Stadium artwork? What about any “Ballpark Princesses”? If you haven’t, you are in for a treat! Both lines of sports art are the creative genius of artist S. Preston. Preston’s art is popular in many circles; the kids love the Minimalist Mascots, the girls love the Ballpark Princesses, and EVERYONE loves the Minimalist Ballparks. I am a fan, and by the end of this interview I think all of you will be fans as well.
BU: How did you decide to focus your artwork around sports?
SP: I’ve been a sports fan all my life. Any sport really, but hockey and baseball are my true passions. I believe that an artist needs to draw from the heart, and it will show in the artwork.
BU: Where did your idea for your minimalist stadium series come from?
SP: I don’t come from a traditional artist background. In fact I was a graphic designer who did print and web ads for many years! In that role, minimalism and clear messaging is very important. So that mindset translated into the type of artwork I like to make.
BU: I know which minimalist ballpark is my favorite (Fenway), but do you have a favorite park to draw?
SP: I love all of them! HAHAHA!! But seriously, when it comes to my art, it’s important that there’s a lot of iconic features. Comerica Park is one of the most interesting ballparks for my artwork – there’s a LOT of tigers and designs around the stadium.
BU: Can you tell us a little bit about your ballpark princess work?
SP: The ballpark princesses are a personal project that I do for fun. I’ve never been shy of sharing my art, and it’s funny these series got so popular. My love of baseball and sports is almost fairytale, as is my career trajectory. So there’s that metaphor too!
BU: Aside from being displayed in Disneyland and the Baseball Hall of Fame, where can someone currently see your work?
SP: This fall, I opened a 2800 sq ft art gallery where I show off my artwork! It’s 1 block from Disneyland and 3 blocks from Angel Stadium so it’s kinda in the perfect place for me. You can also see my art at Target Field in a large exhibit in the second level concourse. Also in 6-7 ballpark team stores around the country.
BU: Let’s switch gears a little bit, are you a trading card collector?
SP: I used to be really into cards – hockey cards mostly because I’m Canadian. I have a Mario Lemieux, Brett Hull and Mark Messier rookie card – somewhere in a box.
BU: What was it like having your work featured in Topps Bunt (a digital trading card app)?
SP: It’s a surreal moment to see my artwork on a Topps product. Whenever I can put my logo and signature beside these giant baseball brands it blows my mind. Funny story, the first time I was on Bunt, I assumed that their designers would know exactly what to do with my art. I didn’t really love the design, so the second time around, I got to design my own card!
BU: Your set was one of the few I have tried to complete on the Bunt app. Any chance we see your work featured on real-life cardboard in the future?
SP: The physical card market would be nice, but I was told that they have moved away from art cards. The interest and demand is highest with the players. And of course, I don’t draw players.
BU: I guess I will have to stick to buying your pieces from you! Any new collections we can look forward to seeing?
SP: I just signed licensing agreements with the NHL which I haven’t publicly announced yet. I’m also looking at the MLBPA too. So just those two can be a lot of work!
BU: That’s great news! I’m always interested in seeing more of your work! Thank you for talking with us.
By: Shane Salmonson
To see more of S. Preston’s work
Website: sprestondesigns.com
Twitter: @PootPoot
Instagram: @sprestondesigns & @ballparkprincessart
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