WEST LAFAYETTE, Indiana — Long before the thunderous roar of nearly 15,000 fans would shake the rafters, Justin Vining climbed the steep concrete steps of Mackey Arena. Clad in a jacket speckled with dried paint from countless previous works, he made his way to the highest point of the iconic venue, where a modest overflow press box sits tucked behind Section 110—the arena's crow's nest.
This wasn't Vining's first time painting a basketball arena live. That milestone came in 2018, when he first combined his artistic talent with his love for sports. But tonight carried special weight. A month earlier, he had painted this same court in preparation for this very moment: Purdue University's historic 100th consecutive sellout game.
Since January 15, 2019, Mackey Arena had sold every single ticket for 99 straight games—a streak that would reach 1,484,648 tickets by night's end. The last time a seat remained empty here was January 3, 2019. Now, on this milestone night, the faithful began streaming in at 5 p.m., exactly one hour after Vining had arrived to set up his easel and assemble his supplies.
The Artist Behind the Canvas
Vining's connection to Purdue runs deep. A 2004 graduate, he earned his degree in art education, drawing, and art history, walking the same campus where legendary coach Gene Keady was passing the torch to Matt Painter. In the three years following his graduation, Vining taught elementary art in Pendleton, Indiana, shaping young minds and honing his craft.
But his path would take an unexpected turn. Following in his younger brother's footsteps, Vining enrolled at Valparaiso University Law School. It was during this time that his professional painting career began as a side hustle that would eventually become his calling.
Landscapes became his specialty, and he developed a distinctive approach: painting on location, working quickly, and avoiding ornate details in favor of bold, direct expression. One of his favorite pieces features long, confident brushstrokes forming a shoreline, each bristle mark visible, with water dotted by ringlets from rain that beaded on the fresh paint—a testament to his plein air technique.
The Challenge of Live Sports Art
Vining entered the world of live sports painting in 2018 at the Indianapolis 500, an event that would become an annual tradition. By May, he would be painting his ninth consecutive race at the iconic motor speedway. Last year, he arrived at the pagoda at 4 a.m. and painted continuously until 9 p.m., capturing the entire arc of race day.
But painting live sports presents unique challenges that landscapes never could. The motion is constant, the details are overwhelming, and the moment is fleeting. At the most recent Indy 500, Vining abandoned his traditional easel setup on a whim, holding a small, blank canvas in his left hand while painting six Oscar Mayer Wiener cars with his right as they zoomed around the track. He felt compelled to capture the first-ever "Weinie 500"—a whimsical moment that exemplified the unpredictable nature of live events.
The Art of Simplification
As Mackey Arena filled with fans and the pregame serenity gave way to a gathering storm of noise and energy, Vining worked methodically. He mixed his colors—grays, blacks, tans, and the distinctive yellow of the Iowa Hawkeyes, Purdue's opponent for the night. With broad, confident strokes, he laid down his boundaries, capturing the architectural elements that make Mackey unique: the rafters, the catwalk, and the hardwood below.
"I have to use my observational skills and then take a million details we see out there, and this painting is probably 2,000 brush strokes," Vining explained. "So how do you take a million details and then create this, like, shorthand language? That simplification process, it's become very addicting to me."
This addiction to simplification is what makes his work so compelling. While a photograph captures every detail with mechanical precision, Vining's paintings distill the essence of a moment. Each of those 2,000 brush strokes represents a conscious decision about what to include and what to leave out. The result is not just a picture of a basketball game, but a feeling—the electricity in the air, the weight of history, the collective breath of 14,846 fans.
A Historic Night in West Lafayette
The timing couldn't have been more perfect. Purdue's men's basketball team had won 88 of those 99 sold-out games, establishing Mackey Arena as one of the most intimidating venues in college basketball. The program's success under Matt Painter had transformed the arena into a cathedral of the sport, where every game feels like an event.
For Vining, this was a homecoming. Painting the arena where he once studied, where he witnessed the transition between coaching eras, where he cheered as a student—this was personal. The painting would become more than a commission; it would be a time capsule, capturing an era of Purdue basketball dominance.
The Future of Live Sports Art
As the final buzzer sounded and Purdue added another victory to their impressive home record, Vining put down his brush. The canvas before him contained not just paint, but the compressed energy of 100 consecutive sellouts and the unique atmosphere that makes college basketball special.
Vining's work represents a growing trend in sports memorabilia. Fans and institutions alike are increasingly drawn to original art that captures the soul of a moment rather than just its image. His paintings hang in private collections, athletic facilities, and corporate offices, each one a unique interpretation of a shared experience.
The 100th sellout was more than a milestone for Purdue athletics—it was a testament to the power of tradition, community, and excellence. And thanks to Justin Vining, it will be remembered not just in statistics and photographs, but in the bold strokes and vibrant colors of a painting created in the heart of the action.