“Sports Gave Me An Escape” by Steve Walters

Words by Evan La Ruffa

Willye B White is commemorated for her athletic and social achievements, and we thought an art print doing the same would be a great way for us to give the park something permanent. Long after our current exhibition is taken down at the park, this print by Steve Walters, will serve as IPMM’s thank you to the park, it’s staff, and Willye White herself. Once we got to talking with our buddy Steve, we realized this image of her victorious Olympic feats needed to be part of the presentation. Steve’s ability to create great art prints and gigposters with found imagery is a skill we admire, and we were confident he’d do a fantastic job. He has.

This print is hanging in the atrium of the Willye B White building at 1610 W Howard Ave in Rogers Park. It’s just to the right of the hallway, next to the water fountain.

The quote, “Sports gave me an escape, it kept me off the street,” seemed like the perfect snippet to summarize Willye B White’s significance to our community. Whether through athletics, art, or a mixture of the two, engaged kids make the world a better place. Our intention is to breathe some color into the space, while sparking a few minds, and transforming a public space.

“Sports Gave Me An Escape,” printed in a Limited Edition of 30, will be available tonight, at Sol Cafe. It will be available in the IPMM Shop next week!