Cody Sabol has become a household name in Pittsburgh, and can often be seen outside of stadiums and arenas before big sporting events or concerts, painting for an audience on a large black canvas. His paintings range from Pittsburgh sports legends and musicians in town for the evening, to pop culture references and Christian icons. Cody was invited to speak to students at OLSH on Wednesday afternoon about his inspiration and perseverance as an artist, while creating two speed paintings.
The first of Cody’s paintings featured the Pittsburgh skyline as seen from behind Homeplate at PNC Park. As students filtered into the AAC, he was already hard at work on the painting. When it was complete, he took a moment to talk to students about the importance of finding someone in life to motivate you and to persevere through challenges. For Cody, that person was his grandfather, Clarence “Spud” Sabol. The last thing Spud said to Cody before his passing in March 2019 was “Just keep painting.” And that, Cody did. When he lost his job at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, the only thing Cody had control over in life was painting, so he persevered and made his dreams into a reality.
Now, Cody encourages others to identify the person in their life who will be their foundation and push them to continue working hard even when life gets tough. He shared one of his favorite Bible quotes, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” – Proverbs 27:17.
Cody’s second painting was a depiction of a lion and a lamb. Students watched in amazement as he painted the image upside down before flipping it over to reveal the finished product. The lion and the lamb are Christian symbols of Christ resurrected and Christ’s sacrifice. After completing the second painting, the floor was opened up to questions. Students took advantage of the opportunity to learn about the painting most sacred to Cody, how long he’s been painting, and how he prepares for a live “performance.”
Both of Cody’s paintings from Wednesday afternoon will be available for bidding at the Auction for OLSH on April 20! Stay tuned to learn how you can bid online and become the owner of one of these works of art. If you’d like to attend the Auction so you can see the paintings in person, purchase your event tickets at www.olsh.org/auction.
To learn more about Cody and to see more of his art, visit www.codysabolart.com.
Photo Credit: Anthony Hansen '25