Mellon Arena – The Civic Arena was a beloved historical landmark in the city of Pittsburgh. The multipurpose indoor arena was an engineering marvel for its time and was constructed in 1961 for use by the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera.  It was the first retractable roof for any major sports venue in the world, however it was rarely opened to the public.  The Civic Arena hosted numerous concerts, circuses, political and religious rallies, basketball, boxing and soccer championships.  It primarily served as the home of the NHL Pittsburgh Penguins and became known as the ‘house that Mario built’. 

Jesse Owens - Jesse Owens, known as ‘The Buckeye Bullet’ was an African-American track & field athlete and one of the greatest sports icons of the 20th century.  Owens achieved international fame the world over by winning four gold medals at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. He became the most successful athlete of the Olympics that year and inspired many people.  His victories were even more poignant because Adolf Hitler had intended the Olympics in Berlin to showcase his Aryan ideals and prowess.  Jesse Owens was garnered with awards and accolades throughout his lifetime including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1976 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 1990.  I portrayed Owens in this colorful digital illustration wearing his USA jersey with the Brandenburg Gate in the background which is a notable landmark in Berlin.