SIMSBURY -- Artist Corey Pane is making an indelible mark with his unique brand of paintings. The Wethersfield native is using cleats as his canvas.
Pane, who attended the University of Hartford, is a muralist and portrait artist but started painting cleats during the summer. Through his friendship with NFL All-Pro Antonio Brown, a wide receiver on the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pane put brush to cleats and began brainstorming.
"You can tell stories in so many creative ways," Pane said from a studio he uses in Simsbury. Both Pane and Brown have collaborated on numerous pairs of what they call "tribute cleats."
"We've been trying to keep things positive, motivational and inspirational for everyone," Pane said.
Brown has sported Pane's cleat creations honoring everyone from Muhammad Ali, to Arnold Palmer, to UConn defensive back Jasper Howard who was tragically killed in 2009. Players usually wear custom cleats in warm-ups but are prohibited from doing so in games, but, in week 13 of the NFL season, the league allowed players to wear custom painted cleats during games to raise money for the charity of their choice. The weekend was called "My Cause, My Cleats."
"The most important thing is having a message and a story behind it," Pane said. "And it can help everybody."
Pane also works with Ryan Shazier of the Steelers and Josh Bell of the New Orleans Saints.
To find out more about "My Cause, My Cleats" click here.