Working almost exclusively on commission and specializing in realistic portraiture using a traditional oil painting technique, Bliss–based in Indianapolis–is best known for her large-scale mural work.
Her Iconic Moments series for Gainbridge Fieldhouse casts familiar images from Pacers history into the style of well-known icons from art history.
Acrylic on canvas
Inspired by the Cubist style of Pablo Picasso, Bliss showcases Bobby “Slick” Leonard’s colorful persona and multi-faceted career as a player, coach, and color commentator and his now-classic phrase, “Boom Baby!”
Oil on canvas
Inspired by the dramatic figure style of Baroque artists like Caravaggio and Paolo de Matteis, Bliss collages Pacers players from different eras into a single scene.
Digital print on paper, attached to canvas
Bliss imagines what the celebrity-focused artist Andy Warhol might have done had he encountered the now-classic image of Reggie Miller trash-talking Spike Lee.
Oil on canvas
Because Larry Bird left a great impression on the Pacers organization as its head coach and, later, as president of basketball operations, Bliss depicts him in the style of the French Impressionists, using the groundbreaking style of Vincent van Gogh.
Oil on canvas with gold leaf
Bliss was inspired by the textural and gold-forward style of Gustav Klimt to depict Tamika Catchings, the Fever’s “golden girl,” in an iconic pose. Catchings, a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, led the Fever to the 2012 WNBA championship.
Oil on canvas
Inspired by Baroque still life artists like Pieter de Ring, Bliss creates a thoughtful still life of the Fever’s 2012 championship trophy combined with symbolic and literal elements.
Carter graduated from the Art Institute of Indianapolis with a bachelor's in graphic design. He is an Indianapolis-based mixed-media artist who paints with colored sand and who tackles contemporary themes and scenes from his own imagination.
Acrylic and sand on canvas
Gainbridge Fieldhouse has always been a home to so much more than basketball. Carter depicts a variety of events– ice skating shows, swimming competitions, police officer funerals, graduation ceremonies–to show the venue’s versatility.
Acrylic and sand on canvas
Gainbridge Fieldhouse has played host to some of the most notable artists and performers who have influenced American culture in the 20th and 21st centuries. Carter recalls a few of them, such as Lady Gaga, Wiz Khalifa, Simone Biles, and Ariana Grande.
Acrylic and sand on canvas
The Fieldhouse was the site of a landmark event for country pop singer Garth Brooks. The mega-star sold the 6 millionth ticket of his 2017 tour for the show in Indianapolis. (The previous record was 5 million, set by…Garth Brooks.) Carter depicts this milestone of the popular entertainer’s legacy.
Faust, based in Indianapolis, earned his BFA in Sculpture from the Herron School of Art & Design, IUPUI, and his MFA in painting from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. He grew up on a farm in rural Lapel, Indiana, and has been a professional artist since 1978.
Acrylic on canvas
For decades, Indy’s leaders have used sports to fuel the city’s growth. Icons–symbolizing 19 international sports whose competitions have been hosted here–combine with representations of 10 pieces of sporting equipment. All are arranged in the form of Indianapolis’ city flag.
Prior to launching his graphic design firm, Invictus Designs, Filer earned his BFA at Ball State University. His style combines text and accurately drawn portraiture to highlight the life, character, and accomplishments of his subjects.
At Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Filer created a series of portraits of Hall of Famers, legends, and players from the Pacers and Indiana Fever.
Digital drawing
Mel Daniels was the ABA’s all-time leader in rebounds and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer who helped the Pacers win three ABA championships from 1970 to 1973. A prolific scorer, Daniels was part of the Pacers frontcourt that powered the team to the top of the league.
Digital drawing
As co-founder of the Simon Property Group, Mel Simon’s business vision fueled the boom of suburban shopping malls across the country. He and his brother, Herb, purchased the Pacers in 1983 and committed the franchise to Indianapolis. The Simon Family’s philanthropy is credited with helping to build Indiana and Indianapolis into what it is today.
Digital drawing
Pacers legend Reggie Miller, a five-time NBA All-Star and Olympic gold medalist, was the face of the franchise for his entire 18-year NBA career. Miller led the Pacers during their most memorable rivalry games with Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls and Patrick Ewing’s New York Knicks in the 1990s. He was named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.
Digital drawing
Pacers legend George McGinnis was an Indianapolis native who played at Indiana University and spent his entire career with the Pacers. A three-time ABA and NBA All-Star, McGinnis was named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.
Digital drawing
Lin Dunn coached the Fever to the 2012 WNBA title following a 25-year career as a collegiate coach. From 2008-2014, she helped turn the Indiana Fever into one of the WNBA’s successful franchises. In 2022, she returned as the team’s interim general manager and guided the franchise through a historic 2022 WNBA draft, when the team selected four of the top 10 picks.
Digital drawing
Pacers championship coach Bobby “Slick” Leonard’s 529 wins made him the winningest coach in Pacers history, but it was the connection he and his wife, Nancy, maintained with the organization that truly made him one of the most beloved Pacers legends for fans of all ages. Slick’s 529 banner hangs in the rafters at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Digital drawing
Tamika Catchings was drafted by the WNBA Indiana Fever in 2001 and played from 2002-2016. She is one of the most decorated players of all time, and one of the few players to win an Olympic gold medal as well as championships at the high school, college, and professional levels. After retiring, she became a WNBA general manager, broadcaster, entrepreneur, and philanthropic leader.
Digital drawing
Roger Brown was the first player signed to the ABA Pacers when the team was established and was a franchise legend who helped lead the team to three ABA championships (1970, 1973, and 1974). Brown was named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013.
Graves, the co-founder of the locally-based BRIDGE Collective, combines text, images, and cultural references into works that pack layers of sub-content into their unique designs.
The 1999-2000 Indiana Pacers were the only team in franchise history to reach the NBA Finals. Graves examines the story through the starting players’ jerseys, surrounded by newspaper clippings, game memorabilia, and other materials that illuminate each player’s journey.
Collage and acrylic on wood
Jalen Rose became the first player in eight years other than Reggie Miller to lead the Pacers in scoring in the 1999–2000 season, when he averaged 18.2 points per game for the eventual Eastern Conference Champions. Rose won the NBA Most Improved Player Award, the first player in Pacers history to receive the honor.
Collage and acrylic on wood
Reggie Miller is widely regarded as the greatest player in Pacer franchise history. On May 6, 2000, at Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Philadelphia 76ers, Miller and Jalen Rose each scored 40 points—becoming the highest-scoring pair of teammates in playoff history. The Pacers won the series 4–2 and returned to the Eastern Conference Finals, defeating the rival Knicks in Game 6 at Madison Square Garden. At long last...the Hicks beat the Knicks!
Collage and acrylic on wood
Davis was drafted by the Indiana Pacers as the 13th pick of the 1991 NBA Draft and spent the first nine years of his career in Indiana. The power forward left the franchise as the team’s all-time leader in rebounds in their NBA era. Dale Davis was named to the All-Star team following the 1999-2000 season.
Collage and acrylic on wood
Mark Jackson joined the Pacers in 1994 and helped make them a playoff contender. An unquestioned leader of the team, he dominated in steals and assists and was the starting point guard in his only NBA finals in 2000.
Collage and acrylic on wood
Rik Smits, “the Dunking Dutchman,” spent his 13-year career with the Indiana Pacers. Named to the 1998 All Star Team, the 7-foot-4-inch center averaged double digits per game. The Dutchman endeared himself to fans with outstanding playoff performances.
Collage and mixed media on wood
For the Indiana Pacers, 1999-2000 was truly a season to remember. Not only was it the first season played in Conseco Fieldhouse, they also won 25 straight games and clinched the division title. The team was the first in franchise history to reach the NBA Finals since joining the League, ultimately falling to the L.A. Lakers in six hard-fought games.
Cruse-Griffin, based in Richmond, earned her bachelor’s in art education from Ball State University and has taught public school art ever since. Along with teaching, she creates boldly layered collage work and exhibits around the tri-state area.
Collage with hand painting
The Court tells the story of the ascendance of Black basketball in Indianapolis, from the powerhouse Crispus Attucks High School teams to the “Dust Bowl” court in the segregated Lockefield Gardens housing project on the city’s westside.
Collage with hand painting
Well into the 20th century, Black neighborhoods on Indy’s westside remained a combination of urban and rural. Kids played pickup games at barns with hoops. The Farm recreates this era where basketball knitted people together through their love of the game.
Collage with hand painting
This artwork recalls the moment in 1955 when Crispus Attucks High School, an all-Black segregated team, brought home its first state basketball championship. The team not only became a state powerhouse, it also cemented the legacy of star player Oscar Robertson.
Born and raised in Terre Haute, Hochhalter is a self-taught artist who creates large-scale dynamic public works of art in a range of styles, but always with an emphasis on storytelling and community connections.
Choppy financial waters followed the Pacers’ transition from the ABA to the NBA. Hochalter’s Gainbridge work depicts a few special people whose dedication ultimately saved the franchise.
Fabrication by Owens + Crawley
Painted aluminum, epoxy marble, and wood
Hochhalter celebrates brothers Herb and Mel Simon, who bought the team in 1983 and understood the importance of keeping the franchise in Indianapolis.
Fabrication by Owens + Crawley
Painted aluminum, epoxy marble, and wood
On July 3, 1977, Coach Slick Leonard and his wife Nancy, the team’s general manager, held a telethon to stave off the team’s creditors. The Leonards sold over 8,000 seats for $2 million in one incredible night.
Rhodes studied graphic design in college, but his true love is embedded in illustration, street art, and fine art. His work combines photograph-like figures and graphic imagery into compositions. He is a member of The Eighteen arts collective.
In his Gainbridge artworks, Rhodes tells the story of the 1970s ABA Championship Indiana Pacers, melding a period aesthetic with an icon-like approach to portraying the people who made it happen.
Acrylic on canvas
Bobby “Slick” Leonard coached the team in the ABA from 1968-1975 and in the NBA from 1976-1980, leading them to 13 consecutive wins in his first year and ultimately turning them into an ABA championship franchise.
Acrylic on canvas
An unstoppable duo, forward Roger Brown and center Mel Daniels racked up points and rebounds at a dizzying rate. Both had their jerseys retired by the Pacers and were named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Acrylic on canvas
From the time he was drafted in 1971 until the end of the ABA Pacers in 1975, power forward and Indianapolis native George McGinnis was a standout star. Alongside Pacers legends Roger Brown and Mel Daniels, he was the nucleus of the team’s vaunted frontcourt.
Acrylic on canvas
Six celebrates the teamwork and camaraderie of the ”key six” players of the best ABA years: Roger Brown, George McGinnis, Mel Daniels, Darnell Hillman, Freddy Lewis, and Billy Keller.
Acrylic on canvas
Championship celebrates the ABA championship season’s ups and downs, hard work, and ultimately the moment of joy and relief when it was all worth it.
Beth hails from Peru, Indiana, where she performed with the Peru Circus from age 9 until she moved to Muncie to study at Ball State University. She began seriously studying art in 2012 with renowned Indiana artist C.W. Mundy and now has a gallery/studio space in Irvington.
In her four artworks for Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Schwier looks at the game from the perspective of the court, the team, and the fans.
Oil on canvas
The “Sixth Man” are the fans. The energy of the crowd was electric at Butler Fieldhouse when underdog Milan High School (enrollment: 161 students) won the 1954 state championship game against Muncie Central–a win that inspired the 1986 movie Hoosiers.
Oil on canvas
Bobby Plump, Gene White, Glen Butte, and Roger Schroder–members of the Milan 1954 championship basketball team–grew up together in nearby Pierceville. They called themselves the “Pierceville Alley Cats” and often scrimmaged behind Schroder’s family’s store, where a manure pile made for a strong deterrent to go out of bounds.
Oil on canvas
Schwier depicts the exact moment of Bobby Plump’s game-winning shot during the 1954 IHSAA championship game. The shot, three seconds before the buzzer, sparked Milan High School to defeat Muncie Central in what is known as the “Milan Miracle.”
Oil on canvas
The water tower is one of three in the small town, but “State Champs 1954” was painted on one after Milan High School basketball team’s iconic win against Muncie Central. It still is there today as a reminder of the “Milan Miracle.”
Silva, based in South Bend, was an innovative figure in Chicago’s early graffiti and skateboarding scenes and played a significant role in the development of what’s now known as “street art.” Silva works on large-scale commissions, gallery work, and community art projects.
Painted wood
A collage of sign-based landmarks highlights the places that Indianapolis holds dear. The Indianapolis Artsgarden functions as a futuristic spacecraft, hovering over the Mug ‘n Bun, Knobby’s Drive-In, La Parada Mexican Restaurant, Roselyn Bakery, Irga Food Market, the Children’s Museum dinosaurs, and more.
Solmon, who grew up in Kokomo and is based in Avon, studied art education at Ball State University and taught middle-school art before turning to his studio and college teaching practices. He creates large-scale paintings and murals.
The Indiana Fever became the gold standard for the WNBA in the early 2010s, winning three conference titles and the 2012 WNBA championship. Solomon’s series of acrylic-on-canvas works for Gainbridge Fieldhouse represents six team values he identified that contributed to the team’s success.
Acrylic on canvas
Celebration reflects how the Fever acknowledged their wins as a team and celebrated them together.
Confidence speaks to the team members’ knowledge of their own and each other’s skills, and the commitment to take them as far as they could go.
Acrylic on canvas
Unity –representing the Fever’s belief that they all stand and fall together–led the team to rally from their first game loss to defeat the Minnesota Lynx 3 games to 1.
Acrylic on canvas
Teamwork is the hallmark of the Fever: although one or another player may be a temporary star, everyone knows that teams who work together win championships.
Acrylic on canvas
Consistency refers to the team’s skills, practiced incessantly and deployed reliably in game play.
Acrylic on canvas
Accountability–to the rules of the game, to the strategy outlined by the coach, and ultimately to each other–means that everyone equally owns the team’s success.
Beckwith, an Indianapolis native and graduate of Herron School of Art & Design, IUPUI, works in digital design and traditional hand techniques. Her current fine art works are Afrocentric with hints of Afrofuturism.
Digital drawing
Beckwith’s mural depicting Pacers and Fever royalty uses details inspired by 19th-century Art Nouveau, a Victorian-era aesthetic, and a grayscale portrait style to give a classical feeling. The composition begins with legendary Pacers Coach Bobby “Slick” Leonard and star players Roger Brown, Mel Daniels, and George McGinnis. Owner Mel Simon represents a new era for the Pacers. Fever Coach Lin Dunn and star player Tamika Catchings also appear. Finally, Reggie Miller looks ahead as if to welcome the star Pacers players of the future.
Mims, a Kent State University graduate, is designer and a painter who is equally comfortable creating illustrations and fine art. Formerly the full-time graphic designer for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, she is now a freelance designer, artist, and muralist.
Digital drawing
In Mims’ work, the imagery of the two arms represents connection, camaraderie, and balance as they radiate with civic pride. Indy is an ever-growing city, but basketball has always brought the community together, rallying behind one common goal–victory.
Based in Indianapolis, William is an artist and designer who works nationally. He studied ad design at the Columbus College of Art and Design and painting and drawing at Herron School of Art & Design, IUPUI. His quirky illustrations have graced paintings, sculptures, murals, stickers, and beer cans.
Digital drawing
Whimsical characters romp through this two-part mural, representing non-basketball events at the Fieldhouse. You’ll see colorful stars with Disney-esque hands, a magical ring master, robots, wrestlers, popcorn-eating dinosaurs, and more, who frolic in a fantastical landscape with hidden elements that represent Indiana.
Rosa is a commercial illustrator, art educator, and fine artist based in Indianapolis. He teaches at the Herron School of Art & Design, IUPUI and at Butler University and is associated with Urban Sketchers and Arts for Learning as a teaching artist.
Digital drawing
Rosa takes a whimsical approach to portray the “best of the best” from decades of Pacers and Fever history, using brilliant color, flowing lines and Pacers Hall of Fame Coach Bobby “Slick” Leonard’s “Boom Baby” exclamation to convey the significance of these monumental figures: George McGinnis, Reggie Miller, “Slick” Leonard, Fever Coach Lin Dunn, Mel Daniels, Tamika Catchings, Mel Simon, and Roger Brown.
Lundorf, an illustrator and cartoonist, graduated from DePauw University as an oil painter. He now focuses on graphic novels, illustrated educational content, and one-off comics, and also creates commissioned murals.
Digital drawing
The long history of the game in Indiana is portrayed through moments, places, and events that are core to the DNA of every Hoosier basketball fan. The Franklin “Wonder 5” dynasty. Oscar Robertson and the Crispus Attucks powerhouse teams. The Kokomo High Yell Block. Larry Bird and Springs Valley High. Silly fan costumes, students in masks, and so much more.
Silva is a visual artist and filmmaker, originally from Brazil and residing in Indiana since 2002. He received degrees from the Guignard School of Art (BFA), Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and CalArts (MFA). Silva’s digital collages combine drawn, photographed, and found images into dynamic compositions.
Digital drawing with digital collage
While Gainbridge Fieldhouse is known as one of the best basketball venues anywhere, it also hosts concerts and shows, amateur and professional sports, and community events that draw nearly 2 million guests each year. In a clever switch, Silva’s two-part mural reverses the typical emphasis of why people visit this world-class venue.
Koda studied art at Purdue and Duke universities and then navigated a career in corporate sales in the travel industry. She found her true calling in opening her own mural business, Hue Murals. Her motto is “best energies and bright colors.”
Digital drawing
Indiana has a love affair with high school basketball, and the childhoods of countless Hoosiers are spent reliving these special moments under the shadow of a basketball hoop. Through bright colors and lines of energy, Witsken conveys the excitement, history and culture of the game.
Muhammad, based in Hammond, is a self-taught artist who splits his practice between graffiti-inspired abstract expressionism and public murals. He is the force behind the CISA (Crazy Indiana Style Artists) graffiti crew, and curates exhibitions of their work and that of other street artists.
Acrylic and aerosol paint
In true street art style, Muhammad portrays the Pacers’ Boomer and the Fever’s Freddy, combined with INDY and CIRCLE CITY in graffiti letters, to capture the excitement of home games. Muhammad relates more to Boomer and Freddy than he does the players, and he wants every fan to experience the fun the mascots are having.
Bills, a graduate of the Herron School of Art & Design, IUPUI, does commissioned work for commercial and residential clients, exhibits his pop art-inspired work locally, and teaches painting at Ivy Tech Community College.
Digital reproduction of a hand-painted original
Anyone who has played high school basketball in Indiana knows just how unique the experience is. Bills journeys through the players’ perspective: traveling to games, intense rivalries, the excitement of being on the court, earning the chance to play in the state finals at the Fieldhouse, and the thrill of winning the championship trophy
Dan studied fine art at the Herron School of Art & Design, IUPUI and began his career with illustration and board game design. He is currently a freelance illustrator and graphic designer.
Digital drawing
Dan’s street-informed style lovingly recreates the experience of fans, focusing on four beloved scenes: joining other die-hard fans to watch your team win from a remote location; listening to your school’s pep band fire up the crowd; seeing your team on the court from the upper stands; and cheering on the championship team when their bus arrives home.
Ragsdale, based in Indianapolis, is a full-time painter and a curator for the Harrison Center. He grew up in Texas and New Mexico and earned degrees at Baylor University (BFA) and Southern Methodist University (MFA).
Oil and acrylic on canvas, converted to digital medium
Indiana high school basketball is on display in this parade of 30 youth players wearing historic uniform styles and representing the genders, ethnicities, and body types seen playing Indiana’s game through the years. Hoosier Hysteria is a source of state pride, unification, and fierce debate, but mostly, it brings people of all backgrounds together.
Smola, based in Greenwood, graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a bachelor’s in graphic design. His design and illustration work draws from his childhood experiences and the absurdities of daily life.
Digital drawing
A backdrop of Indiana basketball-related symbols awaits selfie-takers looking to snap a unique pic. Smola’s custom-designed work whimsically proclaims history, fandom, dedication, and the pure fun of the game.
