- In Akron, paintings for the murals exhibited at the new LeBron James museum were crafted by Stark County painter Dirk Rozich.
- Painter depicted 14 likenesses of NBA superstar for three-part mural.
- Murals narrate the tale of LeBron’s life, from childhood to Cleveland victory to community activities.
Stark County painter Dirk Rozich found himself filled with wonder while painting representations of global sports icon LeBron James.
Developing a set of 28-by-20 inch paintings, each would be expanded into murals at the LeBron James’ Home Court museum at House Three Thirty in Akron.
“It was very emotional when I finished the first painting,” he remembered. “I think that’s when it dawned on me what I was doing. I thought, ‘Wow.'”
“There was a little bit of intimidation because it is LeBron James,” Rozich expressed when describing the pressure to create a mural befitting the star and his museum. “I can’t think of a professional athlete in the world bigger than LeBron.”
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How Dirk Rozich came to paint LeBron James
The 43-year-old North Canton area resident was initially requested to create a mural on the establishment’s parking deck. However, the LeBron James Foundation was so impressed with Rozich’s previous artwork — which included a commissioned likeness of former President George W. Bush — that it asked him to produce an intricate mural indoors.
Rozich was deeply moved by the community-focused mission of the organization that he voluntarily created the artwork.
“Sometimes the work is more significant than the paycheck,” he conveyed. “And this was undoubtedly one of those projects.”
House Three Thirty is a multifunctional facility showcasing entertainment and community initiatives such as job training and family financial planning. The complex is linked with the I Promise School, which James established as part of Akron Public Schools.
Unveiled in late November and described as an immersive multimedia experience, the LeBron James’ Home Court museum is situated on the lower level of the refurbished building, formerly Tangier.
“It turned out absolutely great,” Rozich commented about the murals. “And I’m very honored to have had a small part in the establishment of this institution (House Three Thirty and the museum).”
Nicholas Lopez, creative director for the LeBron James Family Foundation, stated that House Three Thirty reflects James’ dedication to the city of Akron and Northeast Ohio while drawing people to his hometown both from inside and outside the area.
“He continues to pursue that dream of making Akron a place where everyone should come,” he expressed.
“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 stated about the House Three Thirty complex, which also features familymovie days and artists such as comic and University of Akron graduate George Wallace on January 12-13.
Rozich has produced NFL-themed artwork in downtown Canton
Focusing on naturalistic illustration, Rozich has been working as an artist since 2014.
A native of the Alliance area and a 1999 West Branch High School graduate, Rozich has created murals for the ArtsinStark NFL-themed outdoor installation “The ELEVEN” in downtown Canton.
Canton pieces include a mural of Joe Namath outside the Canton Museum of Art and a mural depicting NFL founders Ralph Hay and Jim Thorpe. Rozich also has produced football-focused artwork for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The Bush painting was in honor of the 43rd president receiving the 2021 Ambassador of Golf Award at the Bridgestone Senior Players Championship.
Rozich also was chosen by the city of Canton in a competitive process to produce art on utility boxes at around a dozen sites in downtown Canton and for a mural project on Court Avenue. Local themes on the utility pole project will include celebrities with connections to Canton, including musical artists Macy Gray, The O’Jays and hip-hop and rap artist Trippie Redd.
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Rozich also produced a digital wrap of Stark County native and PGA Hall of Fame member Renee Powell. The work was digitally produced before being enlarged and printed on vinyl and installed at Canton Central Catholic High School.
How did Rozich craft the LeBron masterpiece?
Rozich’s three-piece mural at the LeBron museum was based on photographs representing different eras and achievements in James’ life and career.
Rozich and foundation staff sifted through more than 100 photographs before deciding which ones would be recreated for the collective mural. Moments include the night James was drafted in 2003 as the No. 1 overall NBA selection by the Cleveland Cavaliers; his first slam dunk as a professional basketball player; James’ Olympic gold medals; and James standing outside the I Promise School.
“It truly represents what the (museum symbolizes),” Lopez said. “And that’s a journey through LeBron’s life.”
LeBron’s championship with the Cavaliers had special meaning for Rozich.
“When LeBron broke down (emotionally), we all broke down,” he said of Cleveland sports fans. “I was up yelling along with everyone else in Northeast Ohio. That was probably the most I’ve felt connected to a sports championship.”
Drawing and then painting each collage of images, Rozich said the individual panels of the mural went through three to four iterations before completion. A total of 14 portraits of LeBron were painted for the mural − the most Rozich has ever done of the same person.
Each of the three original paintings was made using watercolor wash with acrylic paint overtop, he explained. The intense chroma was derived from applying multiple layers of thinned paint, Rozich noted.
The paintings were professionally photographed before being digitally scanned at a high resolution, enlarged and then printed on vinyl and installed as a wrap onto three walls surrounding the steps leading down to the LeBron museum.
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