CHICAGO — Michael Figueroa said the goal of his Blackhawks artwork is "to bring hope and happiness to those that need it."
The 33-year-old American Academy of Art graduate has donated dozens of his paintings and prints of Hawks players and the team's logo to various charities and events. Several of his pieces, including a few autographed ones, are being donated to the Give Back to Clint Reif Memorial Fund brunch on Feb. 8 at The Ogden, 1659 W. Ogden Ave.
Justin Breen says Figueroa does tattoo work on one Blackhawks' player:
"I saw that I could actually help people with my art," said Figueroa, who said he donated more than $2,000 from the artwork sold at his site: figsigarts.com.
Figueroa started making the Blackhawks art a few years ago after a family friend's son was born with brain cancer. Portions of funds from paintings and prints sold were donated to charities, including Ronald McDonald House.
He's donating autographed artwork of several former and current Hawks, including Jeremy Roenick, Bryan Bickell and Andrew Shaw, to the Reif event — in honor of the Blackhawks assistant equipment manager who died Dec. 21 — because he wants to help Reif's widow and their four young children.
"I felt that as a fan and artist I should try to help," Figueroa said.
Figueroa, an art education graduate student at Northern Illinois who hopes to become an art teacher, also is a freelance graphic designer and tattoo artist. He recently made a tattoo for Rockford IceHogs goalie and Illinois native Scott Darling, who also has seen time between the pipes this season for the Blackhawks.
Darling said the tattoo, a phoenix with two breast cancer ribbons as a tribute to his mother — a two-time breast cancer survivor — "turned out great."
"I really like his original concept he drew up for me," said Darling, who has several tattoos. "I was really excited to get some more work done, and he was equally excited to tattoo me, so it was a great match."
Figueroa describes his Blackhawks art as "a combination of comic book look to graffiti and street art."
And he said his passion for painting has blended with his dedication for helping others.
"If I can help, I want to be a part of it," he said. "That’s why I was blessed with my talent."
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