In the Paint

Have you ever gone hard in the paint? 

The paint is intense and dynamic. It is an area of the court where players often have their most aggressive gameplay. Legacies are won and lost in this 12x15 foot area of the court. Sometimes referred to as the key, this small space is so important that it is painted a separate color. How you play in the paint can define a player's career. 

For Israel Solomon, the practice is personal. Despite his numerous accomplishments, he creates as though he has a chip on his shoulder, eager to develop his craft and improve every day. Drawing to him is as dribbling is to the seasoned player. He treats sketching like practice drills, building up a reservoir of ideas to draw upon at game time. 

Solomon is an artist with an athlete's mentality. His composition is tight, angular, and efficient; his style is instantly recognizable, like a signature jump shot. His paintings explode with momentum. His intensity, determination, and hard-won skill shine through his vibrant, precise canvas. 

His latest selection of work, titled In the Paint, features his distinct style of acrylic paintings alongside watercolor and other media. The new works center on Indiana's rich basketball heritage and the larger culture that supports it. As an Indiana native, Solomon, like most Hoosiers, has fond memories of the sport from his childhood.

What does a championship look like to an artist like Solomon? "Expansion to other states, growing outward, continuing to take my development seriously." Go hard in the paint. 

The show can be viewed anytime during the month of February in the Harrison Gallery during Gallery Hours: Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. The works can also be viewed and purchased on our online gallery through March.