Backstory: 'The Creation of Crank'

(Writer's Note: This article originally appeared on the digital publication, LaxAllStars.com, it has been altered to fit this platform.)

"Looking back, it was a good thing to happen for me." - Milton Glaser (designer of the I Love NY logo)

Every artist tries to have, or has, their 'Mona Lisa' that puts their artistic ability on the map. For me, or The Art of Lax™, it's the classic image titled, 'Crank' done back in the summer of 2009. While it was exciting and so fun to see the image resonate with the lacrosse world, the creation behind it was ironically spurred from being bored and sick of playing lacrosse.

"Too much of a good thing is actually a bad thing."

Back in 2009 competing at the War at the Shore tournament in Brick, NJ found me in a rare, but realistic manner: bored - or burnt out. On the third and last game of the first day of the lacrosse tournament, I told the other goalie to play the entire game. For some reason I just had no interest to play and to this day I have no idea why. I guess too much of a good thing is actually a bad thing.

But instead of watching on the sidelines, I decided to take some pics with my digital camera of my teammates in action. One of my teammates, who actually was sharing a hotel room with me, kept on standing out as our outside shooter. The picture that I took of him was very random, and my digital camera, back then, was nothing spectacular like a professional DLSR. All I knew is that my hitting the shutter button was quicker than his shot release.

Upon my return from the tournament, I went right to work. Adding motion lines was a difference maker in my portfolio, back then, and I really wanted to make it stand out in this piece. After it was done I gave that player in the reference photo a reproduction print, thanking him for giving me permission to use it.

Lightning in a bottle.

15 years later, this image has been very iconic to my business, which has been reproduced into many things. I'm also very comfortable to say that this is the most recognized piece of lacrosse art in the sport of lacrosse. I've tried many times to 'one-up' the Crank image, and while I have a fair amount of noted pieces from customers all over, nothing still compares to Crank.

Looking back, I feel that I truly caught lightning in a bottle, sort-or-speak. As an artist it might be the best piece of art that I ever created in my lifetime. My intention wasn't to find, or create greatness that day I didn't want to play in that lacrosse game, it was to fill a gap of boredom. That chance and serendipity still, and will always have their place, in a world full of organized thoughts, structure and plans. And being sick of something that you love is perfectly normal.

I don't know how long Crank will last, but I know it will outlast me as the creator. And as the creator, I'll always be so grateful to have this story to tell.