John Martin Mural Added to Booth Family Hall of Athletics
Nov. 7, 2006
LAWRENCE, Kan. — A mural painted by a KU alumnus – noted artist John Boyd Martin – today became the newest addition to the Booth Family Hall of Athletics.<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
The mural depicts KU men’s and women’s athletics, along with ten athletes who became legendary in the history of Kansas Athletics: Ray Evans, Wilt Chamberlain, Jim Ryun, Jim Bausch, John Hadl, Clyde Lovellette, Al Oerter, Gale Sayers, Danny Manning and Lynette Woodard. The mural also depicts for special recognition Marilynn Smith, women’s golf; Bob Allison, baseball and Matt Gogel, men’s golf.
Martin has established himself as one of the most accomplished portrait artists in the country. He’s especially well-known as painter of choice for a highly visible class of people: America’s sports heroes.
A graduate of the University of Kansas School of Fine Arts, Martin began his career as an advertising art director and illustrator, winning more than 150 awards for his work across the country. He then turned his full attention to his first love: portraiture.
Some of his best known portrait commissions are: former Baseball Commissioners Bowie Kuhn and Ford Frick; Kansas City Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt; golfers Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson; former Executive Directors of the NCAA Walter Byers and Myles Brand; Baseball Hall of Famers Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Stan Musial, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron and George Brett; NFL Hall of Famer Len Dawson; and NBA Hall of Famer Bob Cousy.
Martin has also done portrait commissions for such institutions as the University of Michigan, the University of Kansas, the University of Texas, Louisiana State University, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Kansas City Royals, the Atlanta Braves, the Detroit Tigers, the Steamboat Ski Corporation, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, United States Golf Association and the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame.
Martin has also done numerous program covers, including five World Series, four All-Star games and an NBA All-Star game. He has also done many art prints and posters, including “Fifty Years of the Final Four” for the NCAA and the 1993 Ryder Cup Team for the PGA America.
