Bay Area artist paints Warriors stars on unique canvas hats

SAN LEANDRO, Calif. (KGO) -- Warriors fan Nick Motley's art studio is the Starbucks on MacArthur Boulevard in San Leandro. His current canvas is hats.

"I love nick's hats, and I'm not even a sports fan," said San Leandro resident Rose Riskind. "But he puts so much of his soul into those things, and watching him paint -- he's a true artist."

"I want a game, said Motley. "I want it to come down to the final minutes and Steph Curry drop that three in the basket and win and everybody goes crazy."

Motley wants artistic inspiration.

"The energy that he puts into them, and it's like, you'd be proud to wear one of those," said Debbie Kapina of Stockton.

You'd be even prouder if you know where the money goes when Motley sells an autographed hat. "I don't use their autographs as more money," he told ABC7 News. "I use their autographs to help inner-city kids sport and art programs."

"The fact that he gives so much of the proceeds to charity is just -- him, it's the person that he is and it makes it even more beautiful," Kapina told ABC7 News.

"That's what got me through school -- is art and sports," Motley added.

Most hats take about three hours to paint, but this one took 12.

"A lot of people won't even wear my hats," Motley said. "They're like, 'I'm not wearing that.' I'm like, 'You gotta wear the hat.' 'But what if it gets dirty,' 'Then wash it.'"

Whatever you do, don't put it on a shelf. "The I have to come to your house and see it," Motley added. "I want to see it on your head."

If you're interested in purchasing one of Motley's hats, you can call him at 510 - 590 - 6858 or email him at uniunicartist10@yahoo.com

Click here for more stories, photos, and video on the Golden State Warriors.