We were recently featured in the Community Connections section of the North Shore News. Take a look at the article below; we think it turned out great.
North Van’s Vintage Sports Images a game-changer when it comes to sports artwork.
Sports photos are no longer just for man caves.
North Van’s Vintage Sports Images is a game-changer when it comes to turning iconic sports images into artwork that can be hung anywhere in the home.
“Our process is really unique,” explained owner Blair Peters. “We reproduce the photos on canvas and it really has a different look and feel. These vintage images are truly stunning when displayed on small or large canvasses.”
Vintage Sports Images owns 200,000-plus negatives and slides from a variety of sports and eras that were purchased from photographers and newspapers over the years by the company’s original owner, Eric Olsen, a longtime pal of Peters.
From legendary baseball players and goalies to classic hockey, basketball and football moments, and much more – there’s an iconic image for every sports fan.
Vintage Sports Images has scanned approximately 50,000 sporting photos and curated the best 5,000 of the bunch based on the quality of the shot, the players, the lighting or anything else that makes the image stand out.
Every image tells the story of an incredible sporting moment captured in time.
Take, for example, a large canvas image titled, “Knoop turns two over Petrocelli.” The image captures this scene: As an umpire signals the out, Bobby Knoop turns a double play over a sliding Rico Petrocelli of the Boston Red Sox.

“The composition, the second baseman is jumping, it’s like a moment in time has stopped,” explained Peters. “He’s releasing the ball and he’s literally three feet in the air and the umpire is signaling an out. It’s poetry in motion – just stunning.”
The artworks are so compelling that Peters says his wife allowed him to hang his large-canvas Bobby Orr image upstairs in their home because it felt like a piece of art – not just another sports picture.
Peters noted that along with homes and man caves, the canvass artworks are also ideal for businesses – his Marine Drive retail neighbours Hearthstone Brewery and MAN UP Grooming have some of the sports artwork on display – offices and recreation properties. He’s also had his images used for staging homes for open houses.
Recently, Peters outfitted the offices of IFP (International Forrest Products) Canada, a company owned by the Kraft family, who also own the NFL’s New England Patriots. “Danny Kraft was in the other day I am told by the purchaser that he loved the sports prints. This is another service we offer. In this case I went to the offices and measured and custom ordered the prints then hung them on site,” said Peters.
Peters just returned from a trip to spring training in Scottsdale, Arizona, to catch some baseball games and check out some of the sports memorabilia shops in the area because it’s known as a hotbed for sports junkies and collectors.
He saw some quality sports collectibles but nothing like what they are doing.
“There’s lots of sports photography, but what makes our process so special is that we are taking these artistic shots and giving them the canvas treatment. It’s really time consuming to get this done right – they are carefully hand-stretched. They are crisp and tight, with no slack or soft spots.”
Vintage Sports Images has printed 100- plus sports images on canvases in a variety of sizes, from 12” x 18” to 36” x 45” with prices ranging from $110 to $595.
At the store you can search images from their catalogue by sports, athlete or team or browse online. The gallery also displays sports paintings from local artists and features some interactive displays, including a floor ball net and sticks (donated by Floorball Academy Plus owner Greg Beaudin) and a batting station courtesy of Inside Performance (a top-notch baseball training facility on the North Shore where you can see a beautiful Hank Aaron and Sandy Koufax displayed).
“It’s a really funky, unique space,” said Peters, who noted that there’s also a selection of one-of-a-kind vintage baseball caps and small team logo prints on wood that are handmade locally – plus much more. “Vintage Sports Images is your one-stop shop for sports history happiness.”
Vintage Sports Images is located at 1089 Marine Drive in North Vancouver. Visit online at vintagesportsimages.com, call 604-770-3747 or email info@vintagesportsimages.com.