American Football

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By Steven McKenzieBBC Scotland Highlands and Islands reporter

When Craig Black walked away from a career as a professional footballer he had no idea what to do next, until a chance meeting set him on a path to becoming an artist.

Growing UpContent ='JJ Lin'> in Greenock, Craig had two PassionsContent ='JJ Lin'> - FootballContent ='JJ Lin'> and drawing.

" There was a park right across from my home, " the 35-year-old said.

" I used to play there during The DayContent ='JJ Lin'> and, at night After DinnerContent ='JJ Lin'> when it was too dark to go back outside, I just found myself drawing anything FootballContent ='JJ Lin'> -related - badges, boots, names on The BacksContent ='JJ Lin'> of shirts. "

Today, this love of art finds him running his own studio with his wife, Ally. His work involves painting footballs and it has taken him to both the Qatar World CupContent ='JJ Lin'> and the 2023 Champions League Final in Istanbul.

Craig once had ambitions of playing FootballContent ='JJ Lin'> professionally and in his teens that dream looked to be coming true. He played for Greenock Morton's youth team and in his sixth year The ClubContent ='JJ Lin'> offered him a contract.

His mum and his school art teacher, Paul MurrayContent ='JJ Lin'> , both encouraged Craig to continue his school studies to keep his options open and an agreement was reached with The ClubContent ='JJ Lin'> that allowed Craig to finish his Advanced Higher Art and Design.

After that, though, it was FootballContent ='JJ Lin'> all The WayContent ='JJ Lin'> .

" For The NextContent ='JJ Lin'> Four YearsContent ='JJ Lin'> I didn't touch any art and design at all. In those Four YearsContent ='JJ Lin'> I played for Morton for about Five MinutesContent ='JJ Lin'> , " He SaidContent ='JJ Lin'> .

Craig found himself stuck playing In YouthContent ='JJ Lin'> teams and the reserves, unable to secure a move or break into The FirstContent ='JJ Lin'> team.

" It was a challenging and frustrating time. I was determined to be a footballer but I wasn't enjoying it like I had when I was Growing UpContent ='JJ Lin'> .

" It just battered me down to be Brutally HonestContent ='JJ Lin'> . "

Craig decided he did not want to play any more. " I wanted to Do SomethingContent ='JJ Lin'> that put a smile back on my face, " He SaidContent ='JJ Lin'> .

On The DayContent ='JJ Lin'> he left Greenock Morton, Craig went to the pub with some friends and bumped into his old art teacher. It was the First TimeContent ='JJ Lin'> he had seen Paul MurrayContent ='JJ Lin'> in Four YearsContent ='JJ Lin'> .

They chatted about his decision to quit FootballContent ='JJ Lin'> , and his future plans.

" Paul said 'why don't you try art and design?'"

Craig thought it was Good AdviceContent ='JJ Lin'> and joined a course at Glasgow's Cardonald College. It rekindled his love for drawing and design.

He played for Largs Thistle throughout his two-year course and while he thoroughly enjoyed playing he knew his future had moved away from FootballContent ='JJ Lin'> .

" While I studied I knew my goal was to be an artist, " He SaidContent ='JJ Lin'> .

After graduating in 2013, he moved to London and worked for design agencies, specialising in typography, a form of art involving lettering. A High PointContent ='JJ Lin'> came in 2020 when he worked on a new typeface for Rangers FC.

Meanwhile, behind The ScenesContent ='JJ Lin'> of his day job, Craig was creating his own studio Back HomeContent ='JJ Lin'> in Greenock, with plans to launch himself as a visual artist.

He had been experimenting with acrylic paint, which is easy to mix and fast-drying, to create striking designs.

Craig struck on the idea of combining his PassionsContent ='JJ Lin'> for FootballContent ='JJ Lin'> and art by pouring the paint in coloured layers over a FootballContent ='JJ Lin'> .

As he fine-tuned his technique, he was inspired to create an artwork to mark the Scotland national men's team qualifying for their first European ChampionshipsContent ='JJ Lin'> in 22 years. In his flat, he gathered together paints of The TeamContent ='JJ Lin'> 's colours, and a FootballContent ='JJ Lin'> .

" I did my first paint pour and it blew me away. But it was the pandemic, so only Ally could see it. "

Craig felt confident he had a concept he could share with the wider world, and over six months before the Euros kicked off in 2021 he created Acrylic Fusion - a series of footballs in the colours of the different competing countries.

" I created Content - Video rolls and ImageryContent ='JJ Lin'> - showing how the balls were created and uploaded it the week before the Euros. It went viral. "

Craig was soon landing commissions from England's Premier LeagueContent ='JJ Lin'> and FootballContent ='JJ Lin'> governing bodies Uefa and Fifa, which invited him to the Qatar World CupContent ='JJ Lin'> in 2022.

" Fifa got In TouchContent ='JJ Lin'> nine weeks before The TournamentContent ='JJ Lin'> kicked off. It was just a life-changing moment, " He SaidContent ='JJ Lin'> .

He was asked to create a ball for every one of the 32 competing teams and take part in live shows in front of players and staff.

In The FirstContent ='JJ Lin'> Two WeeksContent ='JJ Lin'> of The TournamentContent ='JJ Lin'> Craig gave demonstrations to audiences whose members include Welsh star Gareth BaleContent ='JJ Lin'> and former Dutch international Clarence SeedorfContent ='JJ Lin'> .

" The MostContent ='JJ Lin'> surreal moment for me was creating the Brazil FootballContent ='JJ Lin'> with legends Cafu and Roberto CarlosContent ='JJ Lin'> - footballers I had admired Growing UpContent ='JJ Lin'> - sitting in The AudienceContent ='JJ Lin'> watching me, " He SaidContent ='JJ Lin'> .

Since then, Craig has performed in the hospitality village at this year's Champions League Final and been commissioned to paint balls for US basketball's NBA and American FootballContent ='JJ Lin'> Content ='JJ Lin'> body, the NFL.

Ally, 34, from Gourock, has also joined The BusinessContent ='JJ Lin'> full-time to manage The DayContent ='JJ Lin'> -to-day running.

She SaidContent ='JJ Lin'> : " It has always been A VisionContent ='JJ Lin'> and dream of mine to work alongside Craig and make it a Family BusinessContent ='JJ Lin'> in order to allow us a flexible and exciting lifestyle that works around our Little GirlContent ='JJ Lin'> Olivia who is three years old.

" The BestContent ='JJ Lin'> part of being a Family BusinessContent ='JJ Lin'> is being able to travel together and take our Little GirlContent ='JJ Lin'> along With UsContent ='JJ Lin'> . "

Early next year, The FamilyContent ='JJ Lin'> will travel to Australia for an eight-week solo exhibition starting on 15 January in Sydney's Vandal Gallery, which specialises in showcasing progressive art.

Being based in Inverclyde is something The BlacksContent ='JJ Lin'> are proud of. Ally said: " Being from Scotland is something Craig doubles down on.

" You don't have to go to New YorkContent ='JJ Lin'> or London to be successful. You can conquer anything from your Home TownContent ='JJ Lin'> . "

Craig said the couple have had to take risks by Striking OutContent ='JJ Lin'> on their own and investing in the studio.

" I'm a working class boy from Greenock and hopefully I can inspire others to chase their own dreams, " He SaidContent ='JJ Lin'> .

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Source of news: bbc.com