Local Artists Hat Series
Presented By:
Three years ago, prior to the 2023-24 Rockford IceHogs season, the IceHogs and Rockford Area Arts Council began a collaboration to shine a light on talented artists from the greater Rockford region. From the partnership was born the "Local Artists Hat Series," presented by BMO, whereby three local artists each season would be selected to design a hat for a promotional giveaway during the IceHogs season.
The series debuted on Dec. 9, 2023, with the first hat designed by Rockford artist Joe Tallman, and over three seasons has seen nine area artists' designs come to life for IceHogs fans. The series has become a fan-favorite and a much-anticipated opportunity for artists each year!
Over 40 local artists submitted hat designs this year and a selection committee made up of IceHogs and Rockford Area Arts Council staff, as well as local artists, has selected the three winning artists and their designs for this season’s hat series: Bruce Quast, Alicia Teran, and Garret Rapp. Each artist will have their hat produced and handed out to the first 3,000 fans at a select IceHogs game this season, presented by BMO.
Read on to learn more about the three winning artists and their designs!
Bruce Quast
Bruce Quast is a cartoonist from Rockford, and his comic panel, “Comfortably Dumb,” appears in newspapers around the country. Bruce also does design and illustration for local and national clients. He's been drawing cartoons for many years, and Rockford-area residents might remember his Sunday editorial cartoons that appeared in the Rockford Register Star. Bruce is a member of the National Cartoonists Society, and his work was also featured by the IceHogs as part of the team’s promotional schedule release earlier this season.
About Bruce's Hat
For his hat design, Bruce wanted to do something that was visually powerful and a little humorous in keeping with his work as a cartoonist.
“When I'm writing and drawing, I often find it helpful to take an idea in a literal direction,” said Bruce. “In this case, a literal depiction of an IceHog led me to a hog on skates, and I thought this image created a fun, iconic symbol that would look amazing on a hat.
“The IceHogs are so much a part of the city of Rockford, so the opportunity to design a hat for the team is a huge honor. I'm really looking forward to seeing IceHogs fans wearing my hat and I can't wait to wear it myself.”
The first 3,000 fans will receive Bruce’s hat on Black Friday, Nov. 27 for the IceHogs 7 p.m. game against the Texas Stars.
Alicia Teran
Alicia Teran is a mixed-media artist from Rockford, whose work blends traditional painting with unique materials such as rhinestones and crystals. Her work has been featured on “Good Day Stateline,” exhibited at the Rockford Art Museum and the Nasty Woman Exhibition, and commissioned by the families of professional hockey players for custom hand-painted playoff jackets. Her recent work has been inspired by the world of hockey, bringing her artistic style to both canvas and apparel.
About Alicia's Hat
Alicia's hat design was created to be something people of any age could pick up, throw on, and incorporate into their everyday style.
“I wanted the hat to feel contemporary while representing the connection between the IceHogs and the city they call home,” said Alicia.
The concept was inspired by a vintage Rockford Speedway advertisement Alicia once saw that stuck with her and the the iconic motion lines became the foundation of her design.
“Those lines created a sense of forward movement, visually driving the centered ‘RFD’ abbreviation forward to symbolize the speed and momentum of an IceHogs game and the city’s spirit of always moving forward.”
Her placement of the bold "RFD" was intentional as it places Rockford at the heart of the design, highlighting the city that brings IceHogs players and their fans together.
“Although the design is intentionally simple, I wanted it to be meaningful,” added Alicia. “My hope is that when fans wear it, they not only enjoy the design but also feel a sense of pride in the IceHogs, Rockford, and the connection that brings us together.”
The first 3,000 fans will receive Alicia’s hat on Saturday, Feb. 6 for the IceHogs 7 p.m. game against the Toronto Marlies.
Garret Rapp
Garret Rapp is a graphic designer specializing in branding, signage, and merchandising. With a background in the sign industry, he combines creative design with real-world production knowledge to create work that is both visually striking and representative. His experience includes logo design, custom signage, large-format graphics, and brand identity, with a focus on thoughtful typography, clean composition, and practical custom solutions. Inspired by craftsmanship and vintage design, Garret enjoys creating work that tells a story and leaves a lasting impression.
About Garret's Hat
When he sat down to work on a concept for an IceHogs hat, Garret drew up a handful of concepts based on Hammy's face from the Icehogs logo.
“At the start of my initial design sessions for this project, a few focal starting points for me were a Nolan Ryan documentary I had just watched, a 90’s pinball machine, the art of Jason Edmiston hard cover book, and vintage horror posters on my theater walls,” said Garret. “I put together dozens of concepts on an art board and narrowed them down to three.”
Of the three designs Garret submitted, the selection committee loved them all but settled on the "Good Old Days" design that captures the feel of a vintage baseball cap from the early 1900’s.
“This is very special to me as my family and I have shared many memories attending IceHogs games and my aunt has been a season ticket holder for many years and is responsible for a lot of who I am today in my creative mediums,” said Garret. “This will be a special experience I get to share with her, and I hope fans enjoy wearing it as much as I enjoyed creating it.”
The first 3,000 fans will receive Garret’s hat on Saturday, April 10 for the IceHogs 7 p.m. regular season finale against the Chicago Wolves.
