Duluth artist Tim Cortes transfers success on the goal line to the pencil line

“There were times my head was spinning, but I never got discouraged (about the time element). This is the biggest commercial project I’ve had and the most prestigious thing I’ve been asked to do. I was totally dedicated to the challenge,” Cortes said last week. “This is something that can put you on the map as an artist; it can be a career-maker.

“To have my work in such a recognized part of a new ballpark is quite an honor. When I saw it there for the first time, I was touched by it.”

The Twins wanted to honor its three World Series teams — the 1965 runner-up Twins, and the champions of 1987 and 1991. Team officials made a search of about 60 artists in North America, which included talking with Terrence Fogarty of St. Paul, a noted oil painter, who specializes in sports scenes. Fogarty said the project didn’t fit his schedule, and recommended Cortes, who received the job in December.

Cortes, 44, a former hockey goalie at Duluth East and the University of Minnesota, uses colored pencils to create photo realism art. Twins president Dave St. Peter discussed people and elements to be portrayed in the murals, but ultimately, Cortes devised each piece. He researched photos and significant moments of each season and set about to create 3-feet-by-6-feet meticulous drawings on illustration board. Cortes said versions of the murals were viewed by St. Peter to assure even the tiniest details were correct, down to the insignia patches worn on uniform sleeves.

“It was exciting for the Twins to have a high-quality artist from Minnesota like Tim to work on one of our art projects, and we knew he would be up to the task,” St. Peter said. “There’s an old adage that says ‘The devil is in the details,’ which means there’s a challenge in getting even the smallest things right, and that’s important when you’re trying to tell a story.

“The murals tell an authentic story and fit our building so well; there’s a strong sense of place and identity in the art. I’ve walked past the murals with some of our former players and they were very proud of what they saw.”

St. Peter knew of Cortes, primarily through his hockey-related art. Cortes has a youth hockey mural at the Duluth Heritage Sports Center. He’s also done art of Brett Hull, Chris Chelios and a piece depicting the late NFL star Reggie White, which was presented to White’s family in a Lambeau Field ceremony in 2005. He also drew a piece honoring the late St. Scholastica baseball coach John Baggs.

For the Twins project he moved out of his home studio to a larger spot, the family room. He fastened each piece of illustration board to a drawing desk and painting easel. He used approximately 500 colored pencils, most in the primary colors, purchased in bulk from Prismacolor.

Although Cortes had to miss his son’s regional peewee hockey tournament during the final month of drawing, he said he was able to use son, Nick, 13, and daughter, Maddy, 10, as models for youngsters holding Twins Homer Hankies in the 1987 mural.

“I was able to come up with my own contract for this project and the Twins took care of me very well,” said Cortes. “I was perfectly happy with how things worked out and my phone has been ringing off the hook since.”

What’s next?

Years later, and long after those goal pads have found a resting place in the basement, other lines — those of a sports artist — now define Cortes’ livelihood. His tools of the trade still involve lumber, only the sticks now come in the form of an artist’s pencils.

From his studio in Duluth, not far from the outdoor rinks on which he grew up, Cortes has spent the past decade sketching works of art celebrating the careers of sports icons such as Wayne Gretzky, Brett Hull and Randy Moss. He has also been commissioned for custom works of art by organizations such as the US Hockey Hall of Fame, USA Hockey and the USHL.

For Cortes, his emergence as one of the preeminent sports artists in the region is every bit as gratifying as stopping any breakaway or one-timer.

“Being able to work as an artist for some of the same organizations that I was involved with on the ice is very rewarding to me,” says Cortes. “Last year the USHL commissioned me to do a piece of art celebrating their 25th anniversary. After having played two seasons in the league, there was a strong personal connection to the project which really allowed me to bring out the people, places and moments that reflect what it means to play in the league.”

It was those involved in hockey who encouraged Cortes to pursue his artistic talents and start creating sports art, and it is those still involved that keep him going. Former executive director of the US Hockey Hall of Fame Ted Brill was one of the first to hire Cortes when he commissioned him to annually create images of the Hall’s inductees. More than a decade later, a dozen or so of Cortes’ original pieces of art are on permanent display in the Hall.

“I share the same level of passion for hockey, and all sports, as do those who hire me to create the art,” said Cortes. “My experience in the game and passion for sports really allows me to deliver a piece of art that truly captures the emotion of the subject.”

Cortes’ latest art project has him working alongside another Duluth native and a former high school opponent, Robb Stauber, who played high school hockey at cross-town rival Duluth Denfeld. Stauber went on to win the Hobey Baker Award at the U of M and ultimately to a professional career between the pipes. Cortes is quick to limit the conversation to artwork, however, when comparing himself to
Stauber.

“I’m a better artist than Robb, I’ll leave it at that,” Cortes says with a smile. “But I would offer him instruction in art in return for a lesson in goaltending check-up.”
A lesson in goaltending wouldn’t be a problem for Stauber, who owns and operates his Edina-based Stauber’s Goal Crease, a full-service goaltending school which features a 15’ x 60’ artificial ice plant, a retail shop, and a weight room, as well as classroom and conference areas.

Apparently the respect for each other is mutual, as Stauber’s forthcoming book will feature a goalie-specific Cortes print on the cover.

“Tim’s art really captures the emotion behind being involved in sports,” says Stauber. “He has a very strong connection to the game, which gives him the unique ability to bring out details in an image that maybe some other artists can’t because they haven’t had the experiences Tim has. That’s one of the distinguishing characteristics of his art and what makes it so special.”

The print Cortes is working on with Stauber, ironically, is his first goalie-specific piece. It features a young goaltender sitting alone in a locker room, exhausted, just after the completion of a game.

“Goalies are always the last player out of the locker room, and the print captures the loneliness that can go along with playing the position,” says Cortes.

“Sometimes as a goalie you feel that you are on an island of your own, that it’s up to you, and you alone, to get the job done.”

That feeling is no stranger to either of these guys, and this print is almost symbolic of many of their experiences, past and present.

“There really is some connection between the feeling that I had when I played goal and now as an artist,” says Cortes. “Looking down at that goal line, and knowing that I was the last line of defense, that it was up to me, it was a lonely, yet motivating, feeling.

“Now when I look at the canvas, sketch a line or two, it’s again up to me where I take it. That’s a great feeling to have and from it I get a lot of satisfaction.”
Other works from Cortes include many pieces with local connections – Brett Hull at Northland Country Club, inductees to the US Hockey Hall of Fame, Randy Moss – as well as many others featuring professional athletes like Wayne Gretzky and Michael Jordan.

Like the many one-timers, slap shots and breakaways that he stopped during his career between the pipes, Cortes has once again found himself on the successful side of the line.