NEAL PORTNOY

BIOGRAPHY & DESCRIPTION
Called the �Norman Rockwell of Sports Artists�, 52 year old Worcester, Massachusetts native, Neal Portnoy grew up throwing baseballs to former Boston Red Sox catcher Rich Gedman. After receiving a scholarship from Division One powerhouse Miami under legendary coach Ron Fraser, Portnoy suffered an injury, which effectively ended his baseball career. It was then when he realized he was more talented creating images with felt markers than throwing sliders.

In 1974, he became a full time artist. Since that time, original Portnoy drawings have been auctioned off for as high as $40,000! Some of his original works of art hang in the homes of Frank Sinatra, Red Sox Hall of Famer Ted Williams, Dwight Evans, Steve Nelson of the Patriots, Jack Nicklaus and former Dodgers great Don Newcombe.

The Children�s Miracle Network has just commissioned Neal to create a multi-action portrait of longtime Duke Basketball Coach Mike Krzyzewski. Past artists commissioned by the Childrens Miracle Network have included the world renowned Leroy Nieman. The sale of Neal�s Coach K portrait will help fund a new wing for the Duke Children�s Hospital.

Over the past year, Neal completed a series of drawings being used in the Golden State Warriors Hall of Fame, and from 1992-1995, Neal was commissioned by the Basketball Hall of Fame for their annual induction program. He has created over 700 programs and media guides for a variety of NCAA schools including Michigan State, Virginia, UMass, UCLA, Wake Forest, Washington, and Southern Illinois just to name a few. He has created limited edition commemoratives for Michigan State, ECAC, Yale�s 100 years of football, Holy Cross, and Colgate University.

Recently, Neal created a �Doug Flutie thru the years�, a Walter Zenga, and a Drew Bledsoe. His background in caricatures allows him to recreate the personality of his subjects and his use of felt markers pops colors off the board. This unique medium allows Neal to deliver movement and texture that makes his art so special. Known in the corporate world as an entertainer with a quick wit and a sleight of hand, Neal has entertained functions for many corporations including Citizens Bank, Digital Equipment, NEC, Iron Mountain, Allmerica Financial, Reebok, Starter, and ESPN. Neal Portnoy Studio Inc. is fast becoming a unique hot commodity in the world of sports artists.