The Beginnings of a Duct Tape Art Enthusiast in Detroit: Creating Portraits of Jason Kelce

 

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According to Colin McConnell, a Detroit-based artist, it took him approximately 26 hours to create a single portrait of retired football player Jason Kelce using duct tape. The portrait gained widespread attention on social media.

The two portraits were inspired by two memorable moments of Jason Kelce, who was watching his brother, Travis Kelce, a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, during their successful journey to win the Super Bowl this year.

Following the widespread popularity of former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce's photos that became integrated into pop culture, they even served as inspiration for a special edition Funko Pop. As a result, numerous skilled fans took it upon themselves to recreate these iconic images.

One specific image gained more popularity than the rest: Jason Kelce, without a shirt, yelling with his arms stretched out and holding a beer during the Kansas City Chiefs' playoff match against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium in New York on January 21st.

On a recent episode of the podcast "New Heights," Travis Kelce shared that he was a big fan of the picture of his brother Jason Kelce shouting without a shirt on. He even expressed his desire to have it turned into a painting.

During the podcast, Travis Kelce mentioned to Jason Kelce that he was considering commissioning a painting of a certain picture. The picture in question has received widespread praise, with many people suggesting it should be displayed in the Louvre. Travis Kelce expressed his intention to have someone create a portrait of this picture.

McConnell decided to take on the task of making a unique portrait of Jason Kelce using his preferred artistic tool - duct tape.

In the beginning of the 2010s, McConnell was introduced to duct tape art by his boss' young daughters when they were crafting duct tape flower pens. As a person with visual impairment, he discovered that working with tape was more manageable than using paint.

McConnell teamed up with the girls and contributed to their craft, ultimately transforming it into a nonprofit venture. They started selling flower pens and donating the profits. Following a specific basketball game, the trio managed to donate almost $800 to a charitable cause through their flower pen sales.

The concept of duct tape portraiture originated when McConnell created a portrait of Detroit music producer J Dilla. He later presented the artwork to Dilla's uncle. McConnell explained that he came up with the idea for the painting while at work, but lacking paint, he used duct tape he had on hand from making flower pens. He then listened to Dilla's music and used the duct tape as a substitute for a paint brush, allowing him to create the portrait.

In a matter of years, the artist expanded their repertoire to include additional artistic pieces featuring famous figures such as Stevie Wonder, Meatloaf, Prince, and even Betty White. These pieces were sold for charitable purposes, and the artist went on to create portraits of families and pets upon request.

According to McConnell, the process can be quite tedious. While some individuals may find it frustrating due to its time-consuming nature, I personally find it to be a calming activity. A majority of the works I have completed are of musical artists, as I often listen to their music while creating. The pace of my work may vary depending on the tempo of the music.

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According to the "New Heights" supporter, he incorporated some of his beloved J Dilla tunes into his creative process when making the portraits of Kelce, after also listening to a portion of the Kelce brothers' podcast.

On February 13, a popular TikTok video was posted (link: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTLRNvp5B/) featuring McConnell creating a portrait of shirtless Jason Kelce. He began by laying down multiple layers of red duct tape, then used a permanent marker to outline the portrait before carefully placing strips of skin, hair, and Chiefs-colored duct tape. This video quickly gained viral attention.

McConnell was quick to start working on a new artwork using duct tape, inspired by a suggestion from a fan online. The piece featured Jason Kelce in an iconic image from a post-Super Bowl party, where he sported Chiefs overalls and a lucha libre mask, with DJ Marshmello and Patrick Mahomes standing by his side.

McConnell shared photos of his artwork on Reddit on Feb. 24, garnering attention and praise from the virtual community.

A portion of the fans expressed interest in purchasing it, while another group suggested that McConnell should personally deliver it to Travis Kelce.

One week after the incident, McConnell shared on social media that Jason Kelce's team had seen the post on Reddit and contacted him to express their admiration for the artwork. He gifted the artwork to them without any cost, with the only request being that they convey the message: whether Jason Kelce decides to keep the portraits or sign them for charity purposes, the artist is content with either outcome.

According to McConnell, he felt honored that his work was well-received. This brought him immense joy and made him realize that his mission was to bring joy to others through his creations.