The Rockford IceHogs are thrilled to bring back the Local Artists Hat Series, presented by BMO, for a fourth consecutive year as a highlight on this season’s promotional schedule.  

In collaboration with the Rockford Area Arts Council, a call to local artists went out over the summer seeking unique designs for an IceHogs hat for three giveaway games for the 2026-27 season. 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.  

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 with Bruce creating unique cartoons for social media that satirized some of this season’s most popular promotions.  

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. Get tickets now!

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. Alicia is an IceHogs season ticket member, and she’s grateful that this opportunity gave her a chance to bring together three of her greatest passions – art, fashion, and hockey. 

Her 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. Get tickets now!

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.  

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. Get tickets now!  

The Local Artists Hat Series made its debut in the 2023-24 season as an effort to support the Rockford artist community and give artists a platform to showcase their work, style, and creativity, while engaging with the community’s passion for the IceHogs. 

“As we enter our fourth season of this unique collaboration with local artists, we continue to be amazed by the creativity, originality, and artistic talent we are blessed with in the Rockford region,” said Dave Costello, IceHogs Director of Marketing and Community Relations. “What our fans may not realize is that the artists design every aspect of the hat down to the hat style and color scheme – we want the hat first and foremost to be something the winning artist would be proud to wear.” 

“The Arts Council is looking forward to promoting local artists, and the IceHogs, through our fourth annual artist-designed hat series,” said Mary McNamara Bernsten, Executive Director of the Rockford Area Arts Council. “The artist hats have been a huge hit with IceHogs fans, creating opportunities for local creatives and a real community connection to the arts. The IceHogs continue to be an enthusiastic partner, and their commitment to local artists helps make the Rockford region a more vibrant place to live and visit!”    

All three Local Artists Hat Series nights are presented by BMO. Learn more about the Local Artists Hat Series and this year’s three winning artists at IceHogs.com/artisthatseries.