The Seattle Seahawks open the 2022 NFL season Monday night at Lumen Field against the Denver Broncos. And with a new season, the Seahawks will launch the fourth year of the Seattle Seahawks Gameday Poster series, a continued effort to create initiatives to highlight homegrown Pacific Northwest talent. The work of a local artist will be featured each home game, with money from the sales of the posters going to local charitable organizations. This week, proceeds from poster sales will benefit The Green Sports Alliance Foundation, which advances for social and environmental responsibility by using the influence of sports to engage fans, athletes, youth and communities in sustainable behaviors and practices. This is the fourth year of the Seahawks Gameday Poster Series, with proceeds in past years benefiting local organizations including Creative Justice, Creative Advantage Foundation and Urban Artworks.
Meet Week 1 feature artist, Jesse LeDoux:
Who Is Jesse LeDoux?
LeDoux's art is as colorful as his customary flannel shirts and matching hats, depicting life and nature through quirky, vibrant illustrations. It was at Seattle's Sub Pop Records where LeDoux got a chance to best display his creative genius to the Pacific Northwest and beyond. There LeDoux crafted album artwork for homegrown rock talent like Bellingham's Death Cab for Cutie. It was 2003's artwork for The Shins Chutes Too Narrow album that earned LeDoux a Grammy nomination for Best Album Packaging.
But before the acclaim, LeDoux searched to find his identity during his formative years in Portland. It was art that ultimately held his interest in college. LeDoux discussed this week the opportunity to create the Seahawks Gameday Poster and give insight to the path to illustration.
"The pull to creating art is something I haven't been able to escape," said LeDoux "I even went to school to become a mechanical engineer, but after far too many 300-level math and physics classes, I realized drawing is where my passion is at. My childhood was spent watching old Disney cartoons, reading Mad Magazine, and sneaking upstairs at the record store where they kept the weirdo comics. It all lodged itself in the back of my head and has made me who I am. What comes out is a combination of those early interests, plus layers of inspiration from modern art, 60's advertising, and some contemporary painters that I have discovered in later years."
If you browse the LeDouxville website, you are greeted by an array of colorful illustrations; some you may even be familiar with. In 2014, media giant Disney added LeDoux to the artist team. He immediately got to work on projects like The Douglas Fursanimated series which LeDoux co-created, directed and developed.
With a career spanning multiple decades, reaching art-lovers across the globe, LeDoux took a moment to discuss some of the collaboration projects he's most proud of.
"That's a tricky one," said LeDoux. "I've had a few. It would either be the 'Chutes too Narrow' package I worked on for The Shins, which scored a Grammy nomination, the work I did with the kid's TV show 'Yo Gabba Gabba,' or the 60-foot mural I created with Starbucks that is in the Louvre."
David Bazan of Seattle-based indie rock band Pedro The Lion on LeDoux' artwork for the group's Phoenix and Havasu albums:
From artwork for music to installments in places like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, LeDoux' isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
The traveling-artist continues to leave his imprint on the world, but via the Seahawks Gameday Poster, LeDoux gets to give back to Seattle.
"I love working on new projects with new people," said LeDoux. "That unique energy can create unexpected results which is exciting. I love being forced out of my comfort zone, pushing me to always be growing and thinking about the world in different ways. I've learned there is also a benefit to just keeping myself open to seeing what unexpected opportunities the universe may throw my way."
The Artwork
The Seattle Seahawks Gameday Poster works in partnership with Seattle art icon the Ames Bros. The duo of Barry Ament and Coby Schultz are the masterminds behind some of the world's greatest illustrations, created here in Seattle. The pair met at art college in Montana, moving to Seattle to pursue their artistic endeavors in a bigger market. The duo found a niche in poster and apparel artwork for mega groups like Pearl Jam and Metallica. Now they are giving homegrown talent an opportunity to shine on a major platform courtesy of the Seattle Seahawks.
The art for Week 1 is inspired by the new intro video that will lead the team onto the field Monday night. Titled "Awakening," the video features the nature of the Pacific Northwest bringing new life to Lumen Field. LeDoux's Week 1 piece depicts a large Seahawk adorned in college navy stalking an unaware bronco galloping through a bright set of action-green trees. The Seahawks host the Denver Broncos at Lumen Field for the home-opener on September 12, live on Monday Night Football. With the bird distinctly larger than the Bronco and the intimidating eye watching the horses every step, one can assume the Broncos don't have an idea of the size of the crowd they will meet at Lumen Field. Proceeds for the piece benefit The Green Sports Alliance foundation, which works to advance social and environmental responsibility using sports as an avenue for sustainability. LeDoux discussed the process of creating the gameday poster and its meaning.
"It was an unbelievably smooth process, no bumps," said LeDoux. "I wanted to create a poster that had as much impact from across a room as it does with your nose 6 inches away. The dominant Seahawk emerging from the bushes is the first thing you notice. As you get closer, you'll see the detail in the leaves and the Bronco running into what is sure to be a terrible fate!"
Pick up your limited-edition Jesse LeDoux Seahawks Gameday artwork and find out more beneficiary information here. Fans can also bid on the limited platinum version of the poster here.
