Artist behind 2023 Warhol-inspired portraits paints mural at Hanover Park Sports Complex

Glen Ellyn artist Geoffrey Bevington’s mural, “The Joy of Play,” now adorns the south side of the previously austere field at the Hanover Park sports complex.
Courtesy of Hanover Park

Physical improvements to the Hanover Park Sports Complex are now accompanied by an aesthetic improvement in the form of Glen Ellyn artist Geoffrey Bevington’s mural, “The Joy of Play,” on the south side of the field, previously austere.

Bevington has become even more locally known in recent years for his 30-by-20-foot Frida Kahlo mural facing the Metra station in downtown Glen Ellyn, and for the more than 100 Andy Warhol-inspired portraits he has created eminent past and present. residents of DuPage County communities last year for an exhibit honoring them and the famous 20th century artist at the College of DuPage.

Artist Geoffrey Bevington is working on the mural he eventually titled “The Joy of Play” on the south side of the Hanover Park Sports Center playing field.
Courtesy of Lisa Sallwasser

Practicing his trade for nearly four decades, Bevington considers himself to be on his third act – an act in which he expresses his own tastes and enthusiasms more than ever.

“I guess in my third act I’m going to emphasize what I love,” he said. “I would like to do more public art. I would like to do my own art, which is screen printing.

Artist Geoffrey Bevington recently created “The Joy of Play” mural on the grounds of the Hanover Park Sports Complex.
Courtesy of Hanover Park

Although the brightly colored silhouettes of athletes and musicians cleverly share both location and verb in “The Joy of Play,” his commission for the Hanover Park sports complex began with nothing more than ” create a mural.

Although the playing field had been a uniform blue color in the past, even that background needed a refresh before Bevington took on the $14,000 project at 1200 Sycamore Ave. After being inspired for his subject by the sports and music taking place there, he chose the colors. of the village’s multicultural globe logo which would stand out well from this one.

The logo itself can be found on the mural in the form of a soccer ball, tennis ball, baseball, and soccer ball being kicked by the players.

The previously unadorned Hanover Park Sports Complex playing field was usually blue, but that background color was refreshed before artist Geoffrey Bevington began work on his new mural, “The Joy of Play.” .
Courtesy of Hanover Park

A shuttered window in the middle of the south wall was considered repainted as if it did not exist. But it was eventually incorporated as an element dictating the position of nearby characters, including the ballplayer diving to catch a ball underneath.

As is his usual practice, naming the work was the last thing Bevington did. His wife asked him what the yellow silhouette of a young girl near the window represented. After thinking for a moment, he said, “Joy or play.” The title became a riff on that.

Hanover Park Mayor Rod Craig said the mural and other improvements reinforce his long-held hope of making the sports complex something special for the entire community. Since his own son’s days playing there, maintenance of the facilities has largely fallen to the busy parents of young athletes.

Artist Geoffrey Bevington recently completed his mural titled “The Joy of Play” on the south side of the playing field at the Hanover Park Sports Complex.
Courtesy of Hanover Park

“It’s looking really good,” Craig said. “We are on the cusp of very good things. We want to make it a local and family establishment. We will get there. »

Meanwhile, Bevington is already planning his next project in June. He will paint a 44-foot by 10-foot mural in Beverly Shores, Indiana, south of the Depot Museum and Art Gallery, surrounded by Indiana Dunes National Park.

The theme of the mural will be “Beverly Shores, Bird Town Indiana” and will feature a setting from lake to beach, dunes and forest with up to eight colorful birds that live or migrate through the area.

A draft of the 44-by-10-foot mural that Glen Ellyn artist Geoffrey Bevington plans to paint near Indiana Dunes State Park in Beverly Shores, Ind., in June.
Courtesy of Geoffrey Bevington