Nelson’s Double Play

Aiming to intertwine two Kansas City staples, I created Nelson the aspiring baseball star. During the day he trains tirelessly to fulfill his dream of joining the KC Royals. At night he creates work in his studio, painting, illustrating, and experimenting with any media he can get his hands on. You can occasionally spot him tabling at local events like First Fridays selling his pieces, most of which are baseball themed.

This heart features a mashup of the Nelson-Atkins and KC Royals as an original character, one of many that I create in my free time. I like my characters to have a sense of humor or whimsy on the surface, but they typically each reflect a small truth about myself. Nelson juggling his baseball aspirations as well as his love of creating is how I feel about the pursuit of a career next to building up a brand by freelancing. I care about both immensely, but it’s about finding a balance and not losing who you are in the center of it all.