Exhibiting Artists:
Leroy Neiman
Leroy Neiman started as an illustrator for the department store Carson, Pirie, Scott & Co. in Chicago in the early 1950s alongside a then-unknown copywriter named Hugh Hefner. After Hefner started Playboy magazine in 1953, he featured Neiman's artwork in several issues. And even now, Neiman still illustrates the "Femlin," a Playboy character featured on the jokes page. Neiman's early success is largely considered to be a result of his friendship with Hefner.
Neiman became famous because of highly exposed sports art (in large part due to his association with Playboy magazine) and he opened the doors for other artists in the field. He is considered by many to be the premier sports artist in the world.
In 2007, he was presented with the Sport Artist of the Year Award from the United States Sports Academy. Neiman is listed in Art Collector's Almanac, Who's Who in the East, Who's Who in American Art, Who's Who in America, Who's Who in the World. His works have been displayed in museums, sold at auctions, and displayed in galleries and major online distributors.
