Joey T\'s DHPF of the Month

Name: Spencer Young

Currently resides in: I currently reside in Black Creek, WI. Approximately a 20 minute drive to the greatest destination in the world; Lambeau Field!

Q: What city/state were you born and raised?

A: I was born in Nee-hah [Had to pay homage to the Cheeseheads With Attitude (Neenah, WI)] I was raised in a small, rural Wisconsin town called, Shiocton: Pretty much Where Nature Begins!

Q: On behalf of your art, when did you start painting Packer players

A: My love for art started ever since I can remember. My grandfather was a rustic painter, painting on numerous things like saws & milk cans. As a kid I would spend countless hours drawing with him. It’s easy to say that my grandfather was a huge influence on my art career as well my love for the Packers! He was one of the most die-hard Packer fans I have ever known.

Believe it or not, I never really started painting until I went to college at St. Norbert (Home of Green Bay Packer Training Camp). At a young age, I had a natural ability to put pen to paper and doodle whatever I was thinking. It wasn’t until I was an adult when I started switching the pen out for a brush, and with both of those utensils, the Packers have been one of my favorite themes of art.

Q: What\’s your favorite media to use? Water colors?

A: A lot of people laugh at this answer, but to be honest any media that sticks to a paper, wall or canvas is always my favorite. If I have to pick out one form of media though, I would have to say acrylic. It’s a fast drying paint which is perfect for my fast-pace and busy life.

Q: When did you start to realize that your paintings were becoming popular?

A: I think it has been a step by step process… My first art related project was not only the start of my business (Forever Young Designs), but coincidently, was affiliated with the Green Bay Packers. I was just fortunate enough to know the right person, who helped me get my foot in the door. Basically, Mill’s Fleet Farm was inquiring a speed painter (which was something I’ve never tried before), so I decided to make an audition film of an eagle and flag (which was my first time lapse painting ever). I sent the tape out, and next thing I know, I’m in the studio creating a large scale painting for the commercial. The 4’ x 8’ image took me under 12 minutes to complete and many have compared the speed of the painting to some Packer Wide Receivers!

The commercial would eventually air on local television during the Packer preseason games, and even more exciting, it would air on the Tundra vision during on the Packer home games in 2014! That was my first taste of some local fame and it grew a bit more each season. Than, I began creating new murals on the Packer Fence. It wasn’t until this past year when I believe my paintings really became a trendy topic. One day I was just bored sitting in the office (a rarity in my line of work) and I decided to set up my IPhone camera and make a timelapse video of a Packer player I was painting.

My first time ever making a time lapse video was of Damarious Randall. I completed that painting anywhere from fifteen minutes to a half an hour. Soon after, I proceeded to post the picture of the painting as well as the video. I did some simple tags on all my social media accounts and next thing I knew, the painting was going viral! Retweet after retweet, like after like. Than sure enough, # 23 himself started sharing my creation with the internet community. I even went on my phone to check snapchat to get a snap from the corner approving the painting.

Ever since that experience, I’ve tried to duplicate the success again; creating numerous quick Packer paintings. The list of Packer engagements on social media have been crazy and out of this world. It is my understanding that my work has circulated through the locker rooms and some players themselves now own their very own painting!

Q: What has been your favorite Packer painting thus far?

A: It’s tough to say. I think every Packer painting I have done thus far has been fun for me. Each painting brings its own feel to the table, whether that’s my quick little paintings to the large-scale murals on the Packer Fence. I just have a philosophy to never single out one painting because they’re like family! You just want them all to be great!

Q: You and Zane Statz painted the most iconic fence outside of Lambeau. How did that all start?

A: It’s still funny to me, just how the Packer Fences started. It has been a couple years since we started the fences, and at that time, I was working on a mural in Appleton at Enspire 365 (An athletic facility). I received a phone call from a former college classmate (Zane Statz) asking me if I wanted to paint on a Packer Fence. At first I thought it was a joke, I mean out of all the people, why am I the fortunate one to get this phone call!? I told him, “sure…” and before I knew it, I was actually speaking with the owner of the Packer Fence! We talked about goals for the fence and what we could do to make something legendary that would live up to its location, right across from Lambeau Field. Fast-forward to the present and we’re already working on year three of the fence paintings, with no signs of slowing down! We are even painting another fence for permanent installation on Shadow Lane.

Q: Tell us about the infamous “Hail Rodgers” fence and any future projects?

A: The “Hail Rodgers” fence has truly been successful in terms of the execution of the paintings and overall engagement with fans. This most recent fence idea was to pay tribute to, in my honest opinion, the greatest football player I ever saw in my 26 years of life. When that miraculous Hail Mary play happened at Ford Field, I was hooting and hollering so loud, I thought I would get an eviction letter from our apartment the next day, or some noise complaints at the very least.

When planning last year’s fence, it just seemed to make the most sense to paint something honoring the great play. We were even fortunate enough to paint the fence the day before the 2016 season home opener against the Lions. Truly a sight that many Lions fans would not want to see! As a gift, I bought my girlfriend tickets to the home opener for our anniversary and bought much more Packer gear for her birthday! After the game, we were admiring how many people were loving the fence from the balcony of the Miller Lite Gate Entrance; even Lions fans were giving me high praises for the fence!

It would only become more popular when Rodgers himself would do it again. Completing another Hail Mary in the playoffs against the New York Giants! The next week the fence was being featured on many national circuits, including at #6 on the NFL Top 100!

As of now, for our next Packer Fence mural, all we can say is we will be out there bright and early September 9th (the day before the season opener against the Seahawks).

Q: Not only are you a Packer Fan but you also play Semi-Pro Football for the Wisconsin Ravens? How did your Semi-Pro career start?

A: I played football for the St. Norbert College, Green Knights my first two years. Unfortunately, I had to hang up the college cleats to focus on schooling and myself. I made one of the hardest decisions to stop playing college football, the one thing I’ve always dreamed of since putting on pads. Part of it had to do with studies, but another was making myself happy. I got to a point in my life where I weighed 400 lbs and it was my low point. In the meantime, I made my studies a top priority, improving my GPA significantly and JUST made the Dean’s List my junior year.

In the summer, I wanted to throw the pads back on, and sent a message to the Green Bay Gladiators, a summer semi pro football team. Next thing you know, I had a coach personally pick me up the next day to attend my first practice! Two years went by and I was awarded All-Star honors in one of the most prestigious Semi pro leagues in the country. I was even a part of a line that paved the way for a record breaking rusher, which was huge deal.

I was entering my third year and I was told we were switching to a much faster pace offense; basically something that was not favored towards me. I honestly was debating about hanging them up for good! I started my final year of school at St Norbert, but I found myself with all this down time. Finally, I just had this itch and determination to better myself!

I remember weighing myself at 397.5 lbs. Not knowing where to begin, I just wanted to get down to 300 lbs. and wanted to be in the best shape for the Gladiators.  I started walking on the treadmill for about forty minutes. Each month passed and I was making significant progress. Five months later, I lost about 125 lbs. and coincidently, Gladiators tryouts were just starting. Unfortunately, the team would take an unexpected turn and would not continue…

I just decided to keep working out and I would lose another 50 lbs. and still play tackle for another local football team, the Green Bay Grizzlies. I played there a couple years putting on some weight slowly (I should mention I have a 6’ 8” frame) and was at my best playing weight at 275 lbs. Eventually, this team would hit a rough patch and I had a friend reach out to me to come play with him and the Wisconsin Ravens which I am currently on!

Q: When do the Wisconsin Ravens play and where?

A: The Ravens currently play football in the Summer, and this past season played all home games at Kaukauna High School at around 3 PM. Any Packer fan out there just missing watching football during the summer is more than welcome to come check us out. If there are even potential prospects looking to throw the pads on, they can follow the Wisconsin Ravens on Facebook and watch for posting about our tryout dates.

Q: What is your best  moment with another Packer fan or player? Any good stories?

A: Oh man, there are so many I can’t even count… I would have to single out my favorite memory was with my grandfather at the Brett Favre Celebrity Softball Game. I remember my brother brought with us our favorite football cards and one of them being an Aaron Rodgers Rookie card. We so wanted to get these ones sign because they looked so cool. My brother and I waved, yelled, you name it, but we had no luck and he wasn’t signing anything…

Finally, my grandpa takes the cards out of our hands and clips them together with a sharpie. He then yells at the top his lungs, “Rodgers, you suck!” You could hear a pin drop after! Rodgers proceeds to look over and my grandpa throws the cards and sharpie at him. He catches it looks it over and laughs and signs the both.

The best Packer moment wasn’t just with one of the best players of all-time, but with the biggest Packer fan I knew, my Grandpa, Robert Nolan. Not only family, but one of my best friends, who taught me to pursue what you love to do and everything will fall in place. I love art, because he loved it so much. The path I’m on in life is because of him and I will do whatever I can to make him proud!

Q: Do you have a particular Packer item or garment that you wear frequently?

A: I always go with my trusty number four jersey when I’m at or watching a game and my number twelve jersey when I’m painting!

Q: What would be your most valuable Packer memorabilia piece?  (non-monetarial)

A: It would have to be my signed Aaron Rodgers card for sure. However, any Packer memorabilia I receive and/or gets signed, is because they own my artwork which gets placed in my work office! Mike Daniels, Eddie Lacy, Gilbert Brown & Jerry Kramer are just a few to mention!

Q:  Who is your all time favorite player and who is your favorite player now and why?

A: My all-time favorite player without a doubt must be Brett Favre. I was born in 1991, and to me my whole life I thought Brett Favre was the Packers. I remember pleading with my homeroom teacher in high school to watch his retirement (the first one with the Packers) and he said no… I snuck out of class and went downstairs to watch it in another class and I cried and cried…

My favorite player right now would have to be Mike Daniels! He is not only an absolute monster on the field, but we could hang out and watch some anime. I actually did a painting of him reimagined as a Dragon Ball Z character (A Japanese Anime series) and he liked it so much he reached out to me and wanted a copy. I did him one better and took the original and framed it for him. We met talked more about the anime, then we did football. Ever since then he follows my social media accounts and likes a lot of my work!

Q: Do you have any game day rituals/superstitions?

A: Besides wearing my Brett Favre Jersey for the game, I put on the number twelve jersey and do a quick Packer painting before the game!

Q: Any last words you\’d like to say to the Packer Nation?

A: Besides GO PACK GO, I’d like to thank everyone who has been following my work thus far. You are all the reason why I love waking up in morning and paint my day away to the next one! I cannot wait for this season to get underway and I will keep everyone posted via my online accounts and anyone looking for art related work please do not hesitate to send me a message! I expect great things for the Green and Gold this season and I’m hoping to make a little road trip out to Minneapolis, to watch our team on the biggest stage! One more time, GO PACK GO!!!

Spencer\’s Gallery

Spencers Art