One of the best-kept secrets in the LA art scene is the existence and work of Maury Ornest. I mentioned him in my recent review of the Bogdanovich show at Trigg Ison Fine Art, and I have received a ton of e-mail from people wanting to know more about him.

I first met Maury when we were in college in Arizona. He was one of the funniest, happiest, most talented and enchanting people I had ever met. When we met each other again, 30 years later, I was delighted to learn that not only was he still a witty, clever, brightly entertaining person, but a terrific painter.

Born in 1960 in Vancouver, Maury Ornest is the son of first-generation Canadian Jews of Eastern European descent.

He started playing baseball at age two and joined the Beverly Hills Little League at nine.

As of 1977, he was the youngest draft pick ever in professional baseball. Chosen by the Oakland A’s but knowing he needed more seasoning, Maury entered college as a journalism student and honed his skills in the prestigious baseball program at Central Arizona College. In the winter professional baseball draft of 1978, Maury and eight teammates were selected by various Major League organizations, but Maury didn’t feel ready.

He was awarded a full baseball scholarship to NCAA Division I UC Santa Barbara, where he was selected all league (Southern California Baseball Association) in his two seasons there. His batting averages were .360 and .365 while he hit 11 home runs in his junior year, setting a school record.

Maury played in every game during the top university season. In June 1980, the Milwaukee Brewers chose Maury in the third round of the Major League Baseball Summer Draft. He signed his first professional contract and was given a substantial bonus. Maury played his first season in Montana, where he batted .322, finishing in the Pioneer League’s top ten.

Maury’s career ended in 1983, after he sustained severe injuries while playing in the Arizona Fall League for professional major and minor league players. He batted over .300 in each of two Arizona Fall League schedules.

Maury then worked for the St. Louis Blues NHL team in sales and management under his dad’s ownership. Harry Ornest, Maury’s father, saved the Blues from bankruptcy in 1983 while creating a major success of an otherwise lost franchise.

In 1991, Maury began painting abstract images on canvas with oil. Several of his paintings sold to individuals and dealers. His works are among the private collections of Monty and Marilyn Hall, Judea and Ruth Pearl, and many others. Maury’s paintings are mostly baseball-related and of oil, acrylic, and a mixture of the two mediums, mostly on canvas.

He studied painting, drawing, and art history at Otis Art College, continues to travel the world experiencing art and culture, and translating his imagination and dreams into original, Funky Impressionist, visual art.

His voice, when speaking about his work, is charming and humble. He can be self-deprecating, but the meticulous, thoughtful work speaks for itself. Viewing his paintings is a buoyant, joyful experience.

His artist statement has a beautiful, innocent quality, as does its writer:

A painting is never finished. Once the paint is dry, the painting breathes a life of its own. The artwork reaches another realm of existence when it is viewed, thought about, or discussed. The painting lives. It has energy. Verve. Mystery.

I sometimes call my style “FUNKy” Impressionism. Unconventional. Fun. Unique. Joyful. I choose a bright, vivid palette in many of my words. The surfaces may appear elementary; if layers of meaning aren’t realized by the viewer, that’s okay.

Simple works too.

Some people don’t want to know the personal details, while others may be interested in the range of recollections, ideas, and musings connected to my work.

Sometimes my work is messy, like the ochre and sierra infield dirt on my uniform after sliding into third. I’m a retired professional player, a dreamer, and a fan of baseball. I was smitten by color as a child. From the red stitches on a new bright white baseball to the color patterns of clothes, fabric, billboards, images on film and television, I was psychologically and emotionally aroused by the colors of baseball –- the perfectly clean Dodgers blue and white uniforms, the Yankees’ black pinstripes on the white background, a royal blue polyester Chicago Cubs waist band. My love affair with baseball, color, pattern, and shape will continue as long as I live.

I didn’t achieve my dream of becoming a major league player and winning a World Series, but I’ll always be a baseball player. My work may not make it into the Louvre, but I’m a painter.

To send a message to Maury Ornest, you can e-mail mo.bballart@gmail.com.