If you take one look at Terrence Fogarty’s work and get a sense that you’ve been there before, his mission is accomplished.

The Victoria artist specializes in oil on canvas paintings that evoke a sense of sports nostalgia. And Chaskans will appreciate that his latest piece focuses on a hometown favorite – a Chaska Cubs game at Athletic Park.

Fogarty donated 100 limited edition prints of “Summer Anthem” to the ball club to be used as a fundraiser for improvements at the park. The print depicts a 2008 playoff game between the Cubs and the Prior Lake Lakers.

“It’s a warm summer day,” offered Fogarty.

Fogarty said he was invited by a member of the Chaska Cubs Board of Directors to a few games. “I think he was intimating that I should paint it,” said Fogarty.

After taking in a couple of games and enjoying himself, Fogarty made up his mind to do a painting of the park. “I did the painting on my own,” he said, pointing out that it gave him more artistic freedom than a commissioned piece would.

And though he’s sure the board would have rather seen a painting with a full grandstand, he purposely chose to depict a more sparsely attended game. “I wanted to do it specifically that way,” he said. “That’s town ball.

“I’m painting what I’ve experienced,” he added.

Process

To achieve the highest level of accuracy, Fogarty works with photographs he’s taken to get all of the details just right.

“First I sketch it all out,” he said, noting that can take up to 10 days. “I’m very detailed – down to the fingernails on the fingers.”

Once he begins painting, he starts with the background and works his way forward. “I try to compartmentalize it into a day’s work,” Fogarty explained.

It takes him a couple of months to finish a piece, depending on its size. He does up to eight pieces a year – mostly sports related.

Fogarty developed an interest in painting as a child, but said he didn’t get serious about it until late in high school.

“I never thought I was going to make a living doing this,” he said. “Even though it was my only interest and talent.”

Fogarty got smart about marketing his sports pieces early in his career. He knew where the visiting teams playing the Vikings would stay and set up shows in the meeting rooms.

“I got a few private commissions from that,” he said, adding that he does very few shows these days.

His appreciation for sports and his attention to detail has gotten him all the work he can handle. Over the years he has covered a variety of locations from Duluth to Miesville and Montana to Vermont, and sports ranging from hockey and golf to football and yacht racing. His personal favorites are hockey and baseball.

Simplicity

Though Fogarty will do pieces for professional teams and stadiums, when given the choice for his own work, he often finds himself painting children playing sports.

“I’m not trying to make any big political statement with my work,” he said. “I like the simplicity of it,” he continued. “Before it gets all organized and serious.”

Fogarty said that he finds most people respond best to those works. “Because that’s how they remember it. They’re recalling their memories.”

For Cubs fans, he hopes “Summer Anthem” does much the same.

“I hope it evokes fond memories of an event maybe they went to,” he said. “I want them to say ‘Man, it looks just like that.’”

He’s also submitted the print to the Cooperstown Baseball Hall of Fame, where he already has had a few baseball paintings accepted.

“I think it would be a good addition,” he said.

While he waits to hear whether it has been accepted or not, Fogarty will keep painting.

“I’ve never done the perfect painting,” he said. “I’m always trying to do it so I’ll just keep trying.”

-Mollee Francisco, staff writer