Legendary local artist and Lincoln Parish Journal photographer Reggie McLeroy’s latest print is now available for purchase.
Titled “A Season of Greatness,” the print features the championship trophy along with an exact rendering of the championship ring presented to the team following the 2023 Non-Select, Division I title after beating Zachary 31-17.
Recently, the original was auctioned at the Friday Night Lights Community Tailgate party for $5,000 with the proceeds going to benefit Ruston High School’s football team.
A Ruston graduate from the class of 1980, McLeroy’s love for the Bearcats is second to none.
“I’m honored that I can use my talent to give back,” McLeroy said. “It’s a way to give back to Ruston High — the school I graduated from. I look at people who received their PhD, I look at other students in college who have received their masters, I look at students in high school who receive their diplomas or who did not finish school and they can get their GED. And when I think about what I have, I have my “GGT”, which is my “God-given-talent,” because without God, I have nothing.
“God has a way of slowing people down. As soon as the championship game was over, and my brain went to work to see what I could do with my art to honor the state title. I start picturing things in my mind of what I want it to look like. The next day, Hunter Smith called and asked me what I was thinking about as far as drawing the picture. I knew what I wanted to do, but I wasn’t entirely sure what I could use. Once I got the okay to include the items I wanted to use, I immediately got to work.”
The print is a majority of black and white, with the only color being the sharp red “R” on the state championship ring. McLeroy started the print fairly quickly after the championship win in December and wanted to include the ring in the drawing but kept everything under wraps until the players got their championship hardware.
“Coach Baugh asked me to wait until after the kids got their championship rings before I could show anyone,” McLeroy said. “During that time, I looked back and realized something was missing. What I noticed missing was honoring our district championship. And nowhere in the picture was the year “2023.” It gave me the opportunity to redo it and add those things that were missing. I truly thank God for slowing me down in order to make those changes.
“After working in the school system for 20-plus years as the discipline coordinator and not having as much time to draw like I normally do, I think it was by God that I was put back into the classroom to teach art, which also gives me time to draw again. When I look at that, I think there are some other things that God has given me, which are my purposes: one, to work with kids with their art talents, and two, to help kids develop their basketball skills. Being an assistant coach allows me to give my basketball knowledge to those players. It also allows me the opportunity to give my students sound advice about life.”
McLeroy also wanted to give thanks and appreciation to Lincoln Parish School Board Superintendent Ricky Durrett for his help in working with the LHSAA to allow the replica of the trophy to be included in the artwork.
“It means a lot to do this drawing, because I think about doing my first one in ’88 when we won the state championship,” McLeroy said. “It means a lot to be able to do it again for ’23. I want to thank the people of Ruston and in the surrounding areas for supporting me and my artwork through the years.”
The prints will be $80 with a run of 200 being printed.
To order your print, please email reggiemcleroy@gmail.com. If there is a specific number that you would like to order that is available, you can request it in the email.
Time and place for payment and pickup with be announced soon.
