Painting for The Pittsburgh Penguins

Paintings For the Pens

Read about Kait’s Wild Week Home, Turning 30, Painting for the Pittsburgh Penguins and More….

Packed my bags, got on my flight, throw in a nice airline Bloody Mary, and I was on my way back to the ‘burgh’ baby. It was going to be a whirl wind, jammed packed 10 days back to Pittsburgh for me. Not only was I going to catch up with my friends and family after a 6 month absence, but I was also going to be celebrating my 30th birthday. Did I mention my birthday also happened to fall on the same night as the Pittsburgh Penguins’ Night of Assists Gala? Alright so it wasn’t just a birthday trip home that I was taking. It was a work trip, but being asked to paint for the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation isn’t what I would call “work”. I call it a dream.

I grew up watching the Penguins, so naturally hockey is my favorite sport. Not only was I going to be able to create a painting for the Pens Foundation while I was home, but I was asked to create a live painting at the 3rd Annual Night of Assist event. On top of creating a live painting, I donated three other paintings I had previously painted that we would auction off at the gala.

Pretty much as soon as I landed it was go time. I had to start the live painting that I was going to finish in front of all of the guests of the gala in just a couple days so I had to act fast. The Pen’s Foundation wanted me to do my quick, chunky style for the painting and really wanted me to create a painting of Captain Sidney Crosby. Knowing that I was going to be in town for the event, local new station KDKA’s Rick Dayton reached out to me and asked if he could run a story about me painting for the event. I was super excited to say the least, but I felt like it wasn’t my place to represent the Penguins Foundation and give detail about the event itself. A lot of people put a ton of work to go into this event, and I wanted the right people to get the credit they deserve so I asked my friend Kevin if he’d like to do the interview with me. We thought shooting our segment at PPG Paints arena, the home of the Pens, would be a great place to film. We stuck my paintings that I would be donating down next to some trophies. I guess they’re kind of a big deal or so I’m told.

Below in the photos you’ll see my city skyline painting covered in resin, my “Geno” painting of Assistant Captain Evengi Malkin, and the partially started live painting of Sidney Crosby. The last painting I would be donating would be my Andy Warhol on the Andy Warhol bridge. I love that painting, but I have had it for years. I figure might as well donate it to a good cause.

You can watch my interview with KDKA just down below!

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Night of Assists Gala

February 12, 2020

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In between catching up with family and friends, a couple days shot by and 30 years some how sneaked up on me. It was the day of the gala as well as my birthday. I like to joke with my friends and say the gala was actually just a giant birthday party they threw for me. Not a shabby party I’ll say! The theme of this years Night of Assists Gala was Disco 70’s theme. Dress to impress, and put on your boogie shoes! The night had me started out once again at PPG Paints arena where I would be placed in the VIP section live painting my Sidney Crosby painting. During that time I got to catch up with some old friends and familiar faces that I missed so much.

After VIP hour was over, and I had finished my live painting, 800 guests and I walked down stairs where the ice rink was transformed into a disco diva paradise. People dressed in costumes, go-go dancers in cages, all while the hockey players for the Penguins manned their stations ready to entertain guests with casino like games. Throughout the night, guests ate, drank, danced, and gambled all in the name of charity, including yours truly. By the end of the night, Captain Sidney Crosby was kind enough to sign my painting I had created of him to help raise more money for the Penguins Foundation. The total tally raised for the night was a whopping $450,000 that will go to benefiting youth hockey and special needs programs. Not a bad way to start my 30s. I’ve had some really cool experiences throughout my career, and have attended a lot of events, but I gotta say the Pen’s Gala was the most fun event I’ve ever been to.

A couple days after the gala, for Valentine’s Day I found myself painting again at PPG Paints arena. I KNOW. They should just make a bed for me in the back. I’d totally live there. During the Valentine’s Day game while the Pen’s faced off against the Canadiens, I live painted another Pittsburgh city skyline to be donated and raise funds for the Pen’s Foundation. While my work week had wrapped up, there was just one more surprise before I left to go back to Seattle. My newest nephew Alex surprised everyone by showing up three weeks early. It was always something that was in the back of my mind that I wished so badly I could be home for when he’s born, but it probably wasn’t going to happen. My sister and I are extremely close,and I was there with her when my first nephew was born. I know Mick Jagger once said “You can’t always get what you want.” Well Mick, I did, and it was the best trip home I could ever ask for. So much love to the Penguins for having me for their event!