While painting portraits of international sports superstar LeBron James, Stark County artist Dirk Rozich found himself in a state of wonder.
Creating three paintings that measure twenty by twenty inches; these would be enlarged to become murals at the LeBron James’ Home Court museum located at House Three Thirty in Akron.
“It was very emotional when I finished the first painting,” he said. That’s when it finally occurred to me what I was doing, I believe. “Wow,” was my initial thought.
Regarding the pressure to produce a painting deserving of the celebrity and his museum, Rozich noted, “There was a little bit of intimidation because it is LeBron James.” “I can’t think of a professional athlete in the world bigger than LeBron.”
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How LeBron James was Painted by Dirk Rozich
Initially, the 43-year-old local of North Canton was asked to paint a mural on the building’s parking deck. However, Rozich’s prior artwork, which featured a commissioned picture of former President George W. Bush, so pleased the LeBron James Foundation that it commissioned him to create an intricate mural inside.
Rozich willingly made the artwork because he was so impressed by the organization’s community-driven objective.
“Sometimes the work is more important than the paycheck,” he stated. “And this was definitely one of those projects.”
A multipurpose space called House Three Thirty offers community services like financial planning for families and employment training. James founded the I Promise School, which is connected to the property and is a part of Akron Public Schools.
Located on the bottom level of the renovated building that was once Tangier, the LeBron James’ Home Court museum will open in late November and is billed as an immersive multimedia experience.
Rozich declared, “It turned out absolutely great” regarding the murals. “And I’m very honored to have had a small part of the building of this institution (House Three Thirty and the museum).”
The LeBron James Family Foundation’s creative director, Nicholas Lopez, stated that House Three Thirty draws visitors to James’ hometown from both inside and outside the region and represents his dedication to the community of Akron and Northeast Ohio.
“He continues to chase that dream of making Akron a place where everyone should come,” he stated.
For example, the House Three Thirty complex hosts family movie nights and comedian and University of Akron alum George Wallace on January 12–13. “This is a place to be inspired and dream big and reimagine how you can do things not only in your home but in your business (and) in your community,” Lopez said of the venue.
Rozich has Produced Artwork in Downtown Canton with an NFL Motif.
Rozich is a full-time artist who has worked in realistic illustration since 2014.
Rozich, who graduated from West Branch High School in 1999 and is a native of the Alliance area, painted murals for the ArtsinStark NFL-themed outdoor piece “The ELEVEN” in downtown Canton.
Among the Canton pieces are a mural of Joe Namath outside the Canton Museum of Art and another of Jim Thorpe and Ralph Hay, the founders of the NFL. Rozich has also produced artwork for the Pro Football Hall of Fame that focuses on football.
The Bush painting was created to commemorate the 43rd President’s achievement of winning the Bridgestone Senior Players Championship’s 2021 Ambassador of Golf Award.
In a competitive procedure, the city of Canton also chose Rozich for a mural project on Court Avenue and to paint on utility boxes at about a dozen locations in downtown Canton. The utility pole project will feature local themes, such as people who have ties to Canton, such as musicians Macy Gray, The O’Jays, and rapper and hip-hop artist Trippie Redd.
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Additionally, Rozich produced a digital wrap for Renee Powell, a Stark County native and PGA Hall of Fame member. The artwork was produced online, then it was printed, enlarged, and put up at Canton Central Catholic High School on vinyl.
The Rozich mural developed into the LeBron mural.
“My primary focus is athletic illustration,” declared Rozich, who holds a bachelor of fine arts degree in illustration from Columbus College of Art and Design. “It just sort of happened organically.”
Rozich gave the LeBron mural the name “The Child.” The Monarch. “The One.”
“That was kind of cool,” the performer remarked. “I got to show more sides of an athlete other than just what he does with a ball in his hand.”
How did Rozich create the LeBron Masterpiece?
The LeBron Museum’s three-piece mural by Rozich was inspired by images of James’s life and career that depicted various times and accomplishments.
Before choosing which of the more than 100 photos to replicate for the group painting, Rozich and foundation employees went through them all. The night James was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the first overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, his first dunk as a professional basketball player, his Olympic gold medals, and James outside the I Promise School are among the memorable moments.
“It truly represents what the (museum symbolizes),” remarked Lopez. “And that’s a journey through LeBron’s life.”
For Rozich, LeBron’s title with the Cavaliers held particular significance.
He stated of Cleveland sports fans, “When LeBron broke down (emotionally), we all broke down.” “Like everyone else in Northeast Ohio, I was awake screaming. That was most likely the closest I’ve ever felt to a sporting event.”
LeBron James loved the Murals
At an early peek of the LeBron James’ Home Court museum, which includes never-before-seen artifacts from the athlete’s life and career, Rozich felt a wave of relief upon seeing the paintings unveiled.
Bright, brilliant, and bursting with color, the enormous murals are breathtaking when viewed up close and when viewers take in all the fine detail. The gift shop of House Three Thirty sells prints of the original paintings with LeBron-related themes.
When entering the museum, Lopez remarked, “We wanted something to stand out to let you know you’re about to begin a different experience.” “… Dirk’s artwork sets the stage for what you are about to see and leave with.”
James and his mother Gloria James were happy with the final piece of art, according to Lopez. He mentioned that the murals were finalized with agreement from both the mother and the boy.
“It was exciting for (LeBron) to see that for the first time,” Lopez remarked, characterizing the four-time NBA champion as a lover of art who hangs artwork in his house.
When the Los Angeles Lakers traveled to Cleveland last month to play the Cavaliers, James took his teammates to House Three Thirty and the museum. According to Lopez, some teammates requested prints of the mural to take home.