Budding Artist and MDA Ambassador Create Motorcycle Painting to Benefit MDA

Reagan Imhoff dreams of a career in art, and the determined 8-year-old and MDA Ambassador won’t let Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type II get in the way of those dreams.

Her parents’ New Berlin, WI, home is plastered with hundreds of her drawings, and a painting of hers sold for $5,000 at the MDA Black-N-Blue Ball in May.

Local artist and Harley-Davidson designer Mathew Hintz is encouraging her passion. The two are co-creating an original piece of art featuring the 2013 Harley-Davidson Softail Breakout, highlighted with purple hues — Reagan’s favorite color. The pair will unveil the painting and talk about its inspiration on August 14 from 4 to 6 p.m., during the opening day for his show “Heavy Duty,” which runs in Milwaukee from August 14 to September 18 at the Katie Gingrass Gallery, located in the Marshall Building at 207 East Buffalo Street.

The co-created painting will be on display at the gallery, and will be auctioned off to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association on August 28 — the week of Harley-Davidson’s 110th Anniversary Celebration — at the MDA One Night Stand Art Auction from 7 to 10 p.m. at Turner Hall, 1034 North 4th Street, Milwaukee. One hundred signed prints will also be available for $150 each.

“Art makes me feel good about myself, and it’s how I can share my talents and tell any story I want… it’s something I do all by myself,” said Reagan. “I really liked working with Matt because he is a super awesome artist. I hope this painting can raise a lot of money for MDA so we can have more scientists to make medicines for treatments and cures of all kinds of muscle diseases. I love Harley because they help MDA. My favorite is going on Harley rides at camp because I get to go really fast and do tricks!”

Hintz, a father of four young children, has partnered with MDA since 1999 to create logos for events and the annual MDA Harley-Davidson pin.

“The opportunity to share my passion for art and Harley-Davidson with a budding artist gives me great pleasure,” said Hintz, who has worked closely with Willie G. Davidson and the Styling department at the Motor Company for 17 years. “Reagan has real potential and a desire to creatively express her feelings on canvas — the makings of a true artist.”

The “Heavy Duty” show includes several works of Hintz’s fine art featuring Harley-Davidson motorcycles. In addition to the event on August 14, Hintz will be onsite at the Opening Night Reception on August 23 from 5 to 8 p.m. On August 31, he’ll be there from noon until 5 p.m., giving away 500 free posters from another piece of his artwork.

Regular gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday by appointment. Closed on Sunday, except Sept. 1, open from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. during the Harley-Davidson 110th Anniversary Celebration.

Mathew Hintz of Hintz Studios creates personalized motorcycle oil paintings inspired by his 17 years working closely with Willie G. Davidson and the Styling department at Harley-Davidson Motor Company. He’s worked on hundreds of art production pieces, from helmets to tank medallions to full paint schemes for motorcycles. Harley-Davidson is in his DNA. Hintz graduated from Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1998.

MDA is the nonprofit health agency dedicated to finding treatments and cures for muscular dystrophy, ALS and related diseases by funding worldwide research. The Association also provides comprehensive health care and support services, advocacy and education. In addition to funding more than 250 research projects worldwide, MDA maintains a national network of 200 medical clinics; facilitates hundreds of support groups for families affected by neuromuscular diseases; and provides local summer camp opportunities for thousands of youngsters living with progressive muscle diseases. For more information, visit MDA.org and follow MDA on Facebook and Twitter (@MDAnews).

By Jon Langston