The jersey. Arguably the most iconic and unifying element of sports culture. Simply, a jersey is symbolic of its athlete, who dedicates his or her life to their respective sport. But looking beyond that and the whatever thread-count which it is made of, the jersey is a collection of every shed tear, drop of blood and bead of sweat that has emerged as a result of an athlete’s undying dedication and countless hours of hard work.
At the end of the day – win or lose – a player’s jersey will always remain; almost getting stronger with every moment spent being worn; as if it lives by its owner, by the toll of an entire season – including every single moment from the bottom of the barrel to the top of the world. Yes, jerseys will be washed, sold and framed, but the significance of it lies deeper than that. Rather, the combination of the player’s name, number and most importantly their team, is what creates that sense of priceless value.
Instead of a simple portrayal through an abstract or meticulous art forms, a jersey is an artistic representation of an athlete that cannot necessarily be seen or understood with the just the naked eye.
However, while millions of jerseys can be found hanging or framed in bars, homes, galleries and restaurants worldwide, a Los Angeles-based artist has found a unique way to showcase the true elements that create one, allowing us to visualize just how meaningful a jersey truly is.
Next: The Art
Rich Morrison, longtime Lakers’ fan and artist, is the mastermind behind the exclusive artwork. Rugged, yet passionate, his artwork reflects that exact persona – exhibiting undertones of every aspect goes into making a player’s jersey invaluable.
His two paintings pay homage to arguably the two greatest Lakers of all time: Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson. Although their jerseys are the only image depicted in Morrison’s work, the paintings are a true testament to the illustrious careers experienced by both players. 
“I did the Magic Johnson one first,” Morrison said during an interview at the Bo Bridges Gallery in Hermosa Beach, Calif. “I’m an artist by trade, so I’m doing a whole series of jerseys. … I started in my own backyard, and it just came out so rad – so I decided to do a series.”
Starting with the paintings’ “canvases,” which, instead of being anything among the ordinary, are essentially worn out pieces of beach wood. “Worn out” and “masterpiece” don’t seemingly fit together when describing a work of art, but Morrison is able to combine the two differing qualities seamlessly.
“I wanted something that’s been roughed up,” said Morrison. “Something that looks like it’s been around. I found the piece of wood and it looks like it’s already been at the museum and I bought for my house. That’s the flavor I wanted to do.” 
Morrison’s style in these pieces is simple, yet intricate. From a distance the two jerseys appear to be just that – two jerseys. However, as the cliché goes, “there is more than what meets the eye.” Within the paintings are details that perfectly parallel the message that an athlete’s jersey is made up of more than just fibers.
“It’s almost like if it’s a black belt of martial arts – like they have worn that same jersey and they’ve never washed it,” Morrison said. “They’ve had some victories, they’ve had some defeats, then they come out and win and they have the same jersey on. They go from white belt to black belt. That’s their work shirt, and they come home and can say ‘we did it.’ They are like battle scars, because that’s truly what they are.”
It’s obvious that Morrison’s vision curved the outcome of his artwork; and while his ruggedness instills a true sense of authenticity in his paintings, it also reflects the differing qualities and elements that have gone into involving all of the history that has been made by No.’s 32 and 24.
Morrison’s paintings were the result of his desire to do something that no one else is doing or has done; and to offer his own flavor and vision of what sports art truly is.
“No one is doing this,” Morrison said. “You can’t find sports art anywhere unless its photographic. That’s how I came up with this; if someone framed a jersey and basically retired it, I mean everyone has that – all of the sports bars have that, I could do that in my house too. I just decided to do some contemporary fine art of the jersey to evoke some power or feeling of the player into it. Almost like a superhero in a way – and this is what kind of came out of it.”
As for the process of completing the artwork, Morrison was simple in his process, making it sound as easy as Kobe makes a reverse-layup-in-traffic look on a nightly basis.
“I drew it up on paper, then I mounted it and painted into it,” explained Morrison. “Then I glazed it then framed it. It’s acrylic and drawing with like a glaze coating, which really brings out the colors and has a more finished high-end luster to it. This would be for if Kobe or one of the guys wanted one. I wanted all the fans to have them.”
Morrison’s creative eye undoubtedly has the ability to truly reveal the essence of sports art. However, while his potential is limitless, he is content with sticking to similar artwork at this point in time.
“For now, this is what I’m going to do,” Morrison said. “I’m into it. For the fan and the love of the jersey. I was looking around at all of the sports bars and they have jerseys hanging up, we kind of turn them into shrines. But no one is turning the jersey into art, because they have the actual jersey.”
Next: The Artist
Having grown up and lived in Southern California for his entire life, Morrison embodies every aspect of a Los Angeles artist. Not only seen through his undying love for the Lakers, but through his unique vision and style.
“The Los Angeles culture is awesome,” said Morrsion. “I’m an LA kid, I grew up surfing Malibu, and I’ve always been on the coast, so I’m all about the Lakers and the West Coast.” 
While his appreciation for the Los Angeles culture plays a strong role in shaping his work, his roots in Los Angeles can be traced even through his college days, where he studied at Otis College of Art and Design (formerly located near MacArthur Park in Los Angeles, Calif.).
“I’ve been painting for a long time,” Morrison said. “Back in the day, I went to the one in MacArthur Park, which was where the other school used to be. You could go to New York, Paris or LA during your four years, but I chose to stay here and that’s worked out really well and it has paid off being here.”
His “priceless” Lakers’ artwork has been on display at the Bo Bridges Gallery in Hermosa Beach, Calif. Bo Bridges, the gallery’s owner, has been kind enough to allow Morrison to showcase his work in the gallery.
If your interested in more of Rich Morrison’s artwork, e-mail him at rqmdesign@hotmail.com. Additionally, Bo Bridges Gallery is located at 1246 Hermosa Ave in Hermosa Beach, Calif. For more information on Bo and his gallery, visit www.bobridges.com.
– Photos Courtesy of Mackenzie O’Keefe