David E. Wilkinson, via Twitter
There's no denying that for Flyers fans and the Flyers community, April 11, 2016 was the saddest day in the history of the franchise. It had marked the death of Ed Snider, the man responsible for ensuring professional hockey in Philadelphia was there to stay, and was there every step of the way for the team's illustrious history.
Flyers fans received the news in the early morning, and reacted in kind throughout the week. You may have seen some people bring out the orange-and-black apparel donning the familiar Winged P, or may have seen Facebook, Twitter and Instagram posts thanking the man known as Mr. Snider for all he had done for the Philadelphia community and beyond.
One local man opted to commemorate Snider through the means of artistic expression. David Wilkinson, a South Jersey-based artist, created a graphic outlining a silhouette of Snider bowing his head within the wings of the Flyers logo. Underneath, "Thank You Mr. Snider" is printed — adding to an already-powerful image.
@NHLFlyers @SportsRadioWIP @RealGlenMacnow @CSNPhilly #EdSnider #Flyers #FlyersTalk #FlyersNation pic.twitter.com/zYk9hBrNIN
— David E. Wilkinson (@davidewilkinson) April 11, 2016
"Like most fans, when I heard the news, I felt like I had lost a member of my own family," Wilkinson told Flyerdelphia. "I saw it in my Facebook feed as I was getting ready to start in on my morning workout and I just felt such a sense of loss.
"While I tried to concentrate on what I was doing, my mind kept focusing on what Mr. Snider has not only meant to Philadelphia and surrounding areas but how what he has created has impacted me personally."
Gaining an audience
Wilkinson disseminated his tribute on his social media accounts, and the image quickly took off and went viral. As of press time, over 2,300 people have liked the image on his Facebook page, 545 have shared it and 150 have retweeted it.
The image, however, is worth a lot more than likes, shares and retweets. It became yet another way for Flyers fans to unite and join together, and commemorate Snider's legacy in a succinct, yet elegant touch.
"As an artist, I always tend to express myself visually," Wilkinson said. "As I was reflecting not only on his loss, but also the legacy he leaves behind, an image came to mind.
"Technically speaking, the hardest part was creating a profile silhouette of Mr. Snider that was recognizable. I thought briefly about doing a 70’s version of him with the glasses, but decided against it. Once I settled on a modern version of him the challenge was finding the right reference images from the side. What I eventually created was from two different images actually. One for the front of his face and a second for his hair. After that, the challenge was how to incorporate it into the shape of the logo…where to put it was only one question, the second is where does the Flyer logo end and the silhouette begin? Might seem simple but it is trickier than you might think."
While image garnered a substantial social media base, little did Wilkinson know at the time that its audience would only grow significantly. The Flyers organization took notice to the tribute, and commissioned it as a t-shirt.
As the Flyers took the ice for Game 3 of this year's playoff run last Monday, the team issued shirts to all 19,543 fans that walked through the Wells Fargo Center's doors — as they are wont to do for playoff games. The shirts, in their usual vibrant orange, bore Wilkinson's graphic outlined in black on the front.
Wells Fargo Center was its usual tsunami of orange for the Flyers' first home playoff game since 2014, and Wilkinson's silhouette that had become iconic added an extra, touching element. Local newscasts took notice, and it was spread even further to a local and national television audience.
For any artist — whether it be a painter, musician, graphic designer or anyone else — it's a rewarding feeling when your work is well-appreciated. For Wilkinson, capturing Snider's legacy is an opportunity that he and his family will continue to cherish.
"It was absolutely humbling, and frankly, a little surreal, to see thousands of people walking around you wearing something you created," Wilkinson said. "To see it up on the screen along with all the historic images of this team and Mr. Snider was an honor I will never forget.
"Perhaps greater than any of that was seeing the pride on my kids faces that they had in me. I know it is also something they will never forget."
Other Flyers greats that have been commemorated
Wilkinson is no stranger to creating art for the Flyers. As a lifelong fan of the team, he has previously drawn inspiration to create works honoring team legends such as Ron Hextall, Brian Propp and Mark Howe, along with Howe's father, Gordie.
When the Flyers inducted Hextall into their Hall of Fame in 2008, Wilkinson was there firsthand to present an original work of Hextall celebrating his historic first goal. He described the opportunity to present Hextall with his work as an "honor."
Wilkinson also commemorated another Flyers great, Propp, on one of his most illustrious moments in the Orange and Black. Propp had privately commissioned Wilkinson to create a work based off of his third-period goal that tied Game 6 of the 1987 Stanley Cup Finals.
"It is difficult to put into words what it was like to have Brian Propp in my home discussing Flyers history and asking me to paint an image of not only the biggest goal of his amazing career but one of the biggest in Flyers history," Wilkinson said.
On the night before the Flyers retired his number, Howe personally extended Wilkinson an invitation to join him at his home. Wilkinson was able to present one of the NHL's most prolific father-son duos with individual portraits — something not a lot of artists can claim as a distinction.
"I am not sure how to put into the words the feeling a life-long Flyer fan gets when he is not only invited into the home of one of the greatest Flyers defensemen of all time on the eve of his number being retired, but when doing so has the honor to sit and talk to his father and one of the greatest hockey players of all-time," Wilkinson said. "I consider myself one of the luckiest fans in the world to have had that kind of opportunity."
Advice to other artists
Wilkinson's art also extends beyond the Flyers, and sports in general. He has created works focusing on the Phillies as well as the Eagles, while also dabbling in cycling. He's also been able to present each current member of KISS, one of his favorite bands, with individual portraits as well.
When asked as to what advice he could offer to those interested in art, Wilkinson expressed to just "simply draw and paint what you love." Versatility is crucial, and inspiration can strike at any time — even in the unlikeliest of circumstances.
"The more versatile you are, the more successful you will be," Wilkinson said. "Most important of all, take chances!"
"No one asked me to do the image for Mr. Snider," Wilkinson said, "I followed my inspiration and just did it. A week later, I am at the game meeting the entire Snider family in their private suite. Listen to your heart and follow your inspiration. It will lead you exactly where you are meant to go and it may be places you never expect."
David E. Wilkinson is an artist based out of South Jersey, and a lifelong Flyers fan. His website (featuring other works, as well as a shop) can be found here, and be sure to follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Rob Riches is a contributor to Flyerdelphia and Sports Talk Philly. Follow him on Twitter @Riches61
