Original paintings built around the detail and emotion that make a sporting story memorable.
04 / The artist
SPORTING HISTORY.
PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE.
I’m James Pate, a UK-based contemporary artist creating original paintings that capture the emotion and significance of iconic sporting moments.
Sport is full of moments that stay with us: the split-second that changes a match, the achievement that defines a career, or the memory that connects people to a team, a player or a place. My work is about capturing that feeling and giving it a life beyond the final whistle.
My signature approach uses black and grey tones with carefully chosen bursts of colour to draw attention to the detail that matters. Each piece starts with the story; the composition, contrast and colour are there to bring that moment into focus.
The work so far
Art with a story behind it.
A pivotal moment in my journey came with the Justin Rose painting. It reignited a passion for creating art that I had stepped away from for a time, and helped set the direction for the work I’m making today.
Since then, projects have included Bob MacIntyre’s Scottish Open triumph for the Renaissance Club, Rory McIlroy’s Grand Slam moment created for the Make-A-Wish Ireland team, and work connected with charitable causes and sporting events across the UK. To date, my artwork has helped raise more than £110,000 for charity.
These projects are about more than the finished painting: they bring together a meaningful sporting story, the people behind it and a purpose that can extend well beyond the event itself.
More than £110,000 raised for charitable causes through artwork and event collaborations.
From private commissions to brand partnerships, each idea starts with the people and purpose behind it.
Behind the process
From a digital sketch
to a finished painting.
Each piece begins at the computer. Using Photoshop, I explore the reference image, develop the composition and refine the design until the defining moment feels right. I then prepare the image for canvas, preserving the detail needed to translate it into paint, before sketching it out and building the final piece by hand.
A painting typically takes around 30 hours from first design to final brushstroke. That combination of digital planning and traditional painting lets me carefully control the detail while keeping the finished work tactile and individual.
One example
When the moment calls for colour.
Bob MacIntyre — Scottish Open, 2025
For the Renaissance Club, I created a painting celebrating Bob MacIntyre’s Scottish Open victory the previous year, capturing the putter still in the air at the instant of celebration. The original black-and-grey treatment wasn’t giving the image quite enough separation, so I made a deliberate change: Bob’s shirt became the burst of colour that anchors the whole composition. It was a slightly wild choice — and, when Bob signed the painting, I jokingly asked if he could wear something a little less adventurous next time.
Thanks for taking the time to look at my work.
James Pate
Have a moment in mind?
I’m always interested in hearing about ideas for private commissions, sporting events, charitable projects and brand collaborations.