Former Hicksville resident Jason Yoder has always
had a love for the game of baseball. In fact, Yoder played the game all the
way through high school for the Aces before graduating in 1995. While in high
school he remembers very well playing against the likes of pitcher Andy Smith
of Defiance, who helped lead the Bulldogs to the 1992 Division I state
championship, and Denny Stark of Edgerton who went on to pitch in the major
leagues for the Colorado Rockies.
While baseball has certainly been a passion, painting is something that’s
always been in Yoder’s blood as well. Yoder, who now lives in the Cincinnati
suburb of Loveland, has made a hobby of painting famous and not so famous
athletes in the past few years. One of his latest paintings is of none other
than former Defiance High School standout and current Los Angeles Dodgers’
pitcher Chad Billingsley.
In fact, the 18”x24” watercolor painting of Billingsley and 50 prints of
the painting were recently on display in Albuquerque, N.M. where Billingsley
was at an autograph signing event. Billingsley signed the original for Yoder
and several of the prints, which are now on sale on Yoder’s website, www.cincysportsart.com.
“I’ve enjoyed keeping track of the prospects from back home and to be
honest, most of my work is of minor league players,” said Yoder, who has
also done paintings of former Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino, and
current NFL quarterbacks Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts and Carson
Palmer of the Cincinnati Bengals. “This is really something I just do on the
side and the painting of Chad took about three weeks. I don’t make a lot of
money doing it, but I enjoy doing it and it gives me something constructive to
do.”
After graduating from high school, Yoder went to college at the University of
Dayton where he studied broadcasting. After a brief career as a broadcaster,
Yoder now works in retail management for Old Navy. But it wasn’t until a few
years ago that he started painting sports figures he admired, which in turn
became a great hobby and a nice way to make some extra money.
“I loved art when I was in school, but it wasn’t something I studied after
high school,” said Yoder. “I’ve always loved baseball, but I wasn’t
great at it, but my painting helps keep me close the game and I try to capture
my love for it though my paintings. I really enjoy following the guys from
back home who are playing baseball, it gives me a great sense of pride to be
from northwest Ohio when you see those guys doing well.”
Yoder, who not only works with watercolors but also with oils and acrylics, is
thinking about doing a painting of former Defiance High School standout Jon
Niese, who is now with the (Single A) Hagerstown Suns in the New York Mets
organization. His father has also been bugging him of doing a painting of
northwest Ohio’s Sam Hornish Jr., the 2006 Indy 500 champion.
“I am thinking of doing a painting of Jon Niese in the near future,”
stated Yoder. “It’s great to see him doing well, especially in the (South
Atlantic League) all-star game the other night. My dad has also been telling
me I should do something on Sam Hornish Jr. as well, that could be coming in
the future too.”
Signed prints of the Billingsley painting are currently selling for $59.99 on
Yoder’s website www.cincysportsart.com., and nine currently remain. Unsigned
prints of the painting are on sale for $29.99 with 19 left to sell. Pictures
of Chad signing the prints can be seen on the website to verify their
authenticity.
June 23rd, 2006