1-888-599-0634
BIOGRAPHY
Ask William (Bill) Lopa what his dream job in life would be and he'd tell you he's living it. From a hyperactive toddler to the heralded, exclusive fine art and sports artist of W. Lopa Studios, Bill Lopa has always had a passion for art.
At age 5, Lopa segued from mastering his coloring books to bi-weekly art classes at the Nutley Art Academy, where he credits his instructors with educating him about structure, form, and depth perception. Montclair Art Academy followed, and Lopa earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from William Patterson College in Wayne, New Jersey.
A turning point for Lopa was a professor in a college art class who advised his students to never lose their artistic desire; however, in reality, most of them would not make it as professional artists. It was then that Lopa told himself he would never be one of those people and has never looked back since.
From age 15 on, art has funded Lopa's life. Friends, family and neighbors commissioned work from him, and his distinct impressionist style quickly caught on in what can be called a grassroots fashion. These same fans would later take Lopa's works of art and have them placed in galleries, consigned to art dealers and even sold to individuals/consumers up and down the East Coast.
An avid sports fan and die-hard Yankees fan, Lopa chose to concentrate his art in what he loved in a genre he found most challenging and enjoyable: kinetic impressionism. Working in acrylics, Lopa uses a "splatter" technique where the colors are applied with a pallet knife. The use of bold colors and splatter technique captures the image and spirit of an athlete in motion.
Lopa's artwork has been featured in art galleries across the country. Galleries such as: the Markman Galleries in Las Vegas, Gallery Four at the Garden State Art Plaza, Field of Dreams throughout the country, ArtExpo in New York, Just Ducky in Chicago and in several Hall Of Fame memorabilia franchise stores. Even more special to Lopa is that his paintings are collected and hang in the homes of such greats as: Muhammad Ali, Tiki Barber, Roger Clemens, Michael Jordan, Mark McGuire, Paul O'Neill, Mark Prior, George Steinbrenner, Kerry Wood, Yogi Berra, Nolan Ryan, Cal Ripken, Don Mattingly, Derek Jeter, Reggie Jackson, Barbara Sinatra, Diana Munson, Eleanor Gehrig, Julia Ruth, Peyton Manning, Mariano Rivera, Ron Turcotte, and Danny Mantle.
Over the past three years, Lopa was invited by Major League Baseball (MLB) to paint live at the World Series games and All-Star Games. He also hand-painted on the home plate that was used during the ceremonial first pitch to kick off the 2004 World Series. In addition to his baseball work, Lopa created the commemorative artwork for the past three NFL Superbowls and painted live on the sideline at Giants Stadium before the 2006 “Manning Bowl” where the NY Giants took on the Indianapolis Colts. In May 2006, Lopa painted live at the Kentucky Derby, one of horse racing’s elite Triple Crown showdowns.
Over his professional career, Lopa’s paintings have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for charities across the country. Just to name a few: American Cancer Society, Barbara Sinatra Children’s Hospital, Klein Family Learning Center, Jockey’s Guild, James Brown Cancer Center, and the Leukemia Foundation. Lopa is proud to use his talent to benefit causes close to his heart.
There is an undeniable buzz around Bill Lopa. His formidable talent has taken his work to new heights and has propelled W. Lopa Studios into the forefront of the sports art and sport memorabilia industry. With his kinetic energy to match his impressionist style, this young artist is soon to be a household name.
