This story was originally excerpted from Thomas Harding’s Rockies Beat newsletter on Aug. 16, 2024. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

DENVER -- There’s truth in the saying that art comes out of pain, and Rockies pitcher Ryan Feltner's 2023 spotlighted both ends of the saying in quite the literal sense. But art was a source of fun and joy long before the pain.

The moving colors and moods in the abstract art that Feltner brings to life on canvas, using acrylic paints, may have surfaced at some point, anyhow. But after he sustained a fractured skull when he was hit in the head by a line drive from the Phillies’ Nick Castellanos on May 13, 2023, Feltner had time to act upon the artist that was born when he took a class as a child.

“I had a lot of time last year on the IL, so I wanted to fill the time in any way that I could,” said Feltner, who made it back to the Rockies for two September starts, and earned a spot in the 2024 starting rotation with a strong Spring Training. “Art is something that I've always enjoyed, even since I was a little kid. So it was one of the only things I could do at the time, and I picked it back up, and it's been growing from there.”

Feltner has displayed some of his work on his Instagram page.

For Players' Weekend (Aug. 16-18, 2024), players had the platform to celebrate their interests, backstories, causes and people who are important to them.

Let’s allow the artist himself to reveal how art contributes fun to his baseball life. Whether you’re an aspiring ballplayer who likes the idea, or a baseball fan who wants to create, much of what Feltner does, you can do, too.

All you need are your imagination and the tools of your choice.

1. Feltner treats his art as an extension of baseball. But at the same time, he likes that art isn’t judged by a box score.

2. You don’t have to have a professional baseball player’s income to let the art flow. Feltner’s setup is far from elaborate.

“It’s just been canvas and typically, acrylic paint,” Feltner said. “I tried oil paint, but it's a little bit difficult, and I really don't have a great setup right now. It's just a bootleg setup at my house.

“It's easiest and more fun for me to do acrylic on canvas. I use with spray paint and stuff like that sometimes as well.”

3. No Feltner doesn’t walk off the mound, put on a smock and Tam o’shanter and create in a studio in the clubhouse.

“Baseball right now is the main thing,” Feltner said. “And I haven’t really needed an escape from baseball, in terms of time off or whatever. I’ve just been doing baseball stuff. I’m going to pick art back up in the offseason.”

Feltner was on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder strain from Aug. 8-26, but the days on the IL were filled with strengthening, treatments and throwing to keep his arm strength.

But that’s not to say that young players can’t keep creating during their sports season.

4. Most of Feltner’s work is at his offseason home in Arizona, and some is in Ohio, where his family lives. Other works, he gives away. A number of posts from his Instagram account reveal not only the art, but the process.

5. Feltner doesn’t have time to do art during the season, but there is time to enjoy it. Here he discusses his influences, and the fact he takes time during his travels to enjoy artwork. (Travel teams out there could do well by working in a museum or two for the players away from the park.)