Kruger in the paint

Ron Kantowski, Las Vegas Sun

Tuesday, May 15, 2007 | 7:34 a.m.

ILLUSTRATION BY CHRIS MORRIS

Anyone looking to get his hands on an original Kruger will have to settle for a commemorative print.

The two original paintings by UNLV basketball coach Lon Kruger sold for $400 at the ArtFest of Henderson. Robert Brisendine, a longtime Rebels fan from Henderson, purchased Kruger's artwork.

"Apparently, there was quite a bidding war," event spokesman D.J. Allen said.

Kruger last week denied a report he was working on a book of poetry for "Shakespeare in the Park."

Ron Kantowski

He will be first to admit that he's no Vincent Van Gogh. But at least Lon Kruger emerged from his first foray into the world of semiprofessional art with both ears intact.

As well as his sense of humor.

After the UNLV basketball coach autographed a couple of original paintings that were auctioned for charity at the Henderson Convention Center, he was asked about the last thing he put a brush to.

"Probably the house," he said. "Although my wife might argue that."

Kruger was one of 10 local celebrities who created work for the ArtFest of Henderson, which raises money for middle and high school art programs.

Each celebrity was teamed with a local artist who provided pointers.

"He's a natural," said Kruger's partner in art, Maria Arango, who specializes in woodcut print making.

Arango mounted a couple of parquet basketball floor designs on square canvas slabs and let Kruger fill in the dots - or at least the X's and O's.

This time, it was art imitating life. Kruger took a sponge brush, swirled it in red and white acrylic and diagrammed a couple of basketball plays onto the canvas.

One, which he called "Low Cross," was an inside play designed for - pun fully intended - "the paint." The other, "Four-High," showed the ball being passed on the perimeter.

"That's the play we used to beat Wisconsin," Kruger joked after finishing his painting by dipping a mini-basketball into the paint and "stamping" it on the canvas. To the untrained eye - mine - it looked more like a smudged fingerprint you'd find at a crime scene.

"I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder," said Kruger, adding that he is such a terrible artist that he always is the last one picked for "Pictionary."

"I would be a terrible teammate in that game. I'm awful. I can do X's and O's and dotted lines and little arrows , but that's about it."

That ranks Kruger slightly ahead of Jackson Pollock on my palette , because if there's one thing I understand, it's a low post play.

It's abstract expressionist art that I don't get.