Morpho Gallery
“God & Baseball” Solo Exhibition
Featuring Rick Edward Smith
Show dates: September 10th – October 2nd, 2016
Opening Reception: September 10th, 5-9pm

September 2016 (Chicago) Morpho Gallery is pleased to announce a solo exhibition from Rick Edward Smith. The exhibit will run from September 10th to October 2nd. Opening night for the show is September 10th, 5-9pm.

God & Baseball Inspiration:
In 1984 I was doing a Book Signing event at a Book Store in a Mall in Grand Rapids, MI. My little known publication is called: THE BOOK OF FRIARS. On that very same day in that bookstore, “Sparky” Anderson was signing his newly published book BLESS YOU BOYS. He ended up selling a lot of his books that day, and we had a few moments to chat while our tables were being set up. He sent many people my way to buy my book. He would say, “Give the kid a chance, he’s just startin’ out.” The real inspiration came from the answers he gave me, when I asked about his book.” He said that there was a lot of God in Baseball. He said the weather was controlled by God, and weather is everything in baseball. The direction the wind is blowing, how much the wind is blowing. The rain, the heat and the cold, even snow during the late part of the season. Since that day, I have often thought about what Sparky said, “How God is in Baseball”, but now, from a different perspective.

I have picked a roster of my favorite 25 players- (who would be my Dream Team…) and most importantly, whom I would want to do intercessory prayers for. I would be praying for the living players, of course; but my other concern is doing intercessory prayers for those players who may not have given their lives to Christ before they died. Completing a vision and idea “sparked” by Mr. Anderson, 32 years ago!

In essence, I am doing a very special batch of personal Baseball Cards… Rick Edward Smith Baseball Cards! The other thing that Sparky told me when we were sitting at our card tables, signing our books, was to never give up on my dreams and to keep at my art. He said that I would be successful as long as I stuck to it and loved what I was doing. He said that he loved Baseball, and he loved his Boys, his Tiges. So, this show is actually a dedication to George Lee “Sparky” Anderson. May he rest in peace.