Growing up in California, the son of actress Lindsay Frost and producer Rick Giolito, White Sox All-Star pitcher Lucas Giolito never imagined his baseball career would intersect with his family’s career in the arts.
Sure, he was creative, but other than a small role as Guard No. 3 in a fourth-grade play, his family’s career on the stage and his on the mound never crossed.
Until now.
Frost was approached by the White Sox in June to create a series of retro-themed art pieces. They were unveiled Tuesday at Guaranteed Rate Field.
“He had no idea,” Frost said. “I was a little nervous about working with his team. I didn’t want to overstep my bounds at all. I didn’t even say yes until I spoke with Lucas. I got ready and very carefully called him up and said, ‘I need to talk to you. I have this opportunity. They approached me.’ Right away ,he said, ‘Oh man, cool! Awesome! Do it!’ ”
Frost was always interested in art. In fact, before her career as an actress, she wanted to attend art school but decided on drama school instead. When Lucas and her youngest son, Casey, began to approach their high school years, she felt being away on location was less than ideal.
It was around this time that she began drawing, painting and creating again.
“[Lucas] inspired me to take that leap,” Frost said.
Between driving Lucas to practice and sitting in the bleachers at his games, Frost had a lot of time to sketch, draw and paint. Everywhere Lucas’s baseball career took her, the sketchbook tagged along.
Frost and Lucas share a vivid memory that occurred after one of Lucas’ workouts. While Lucas was practicing, Frost sat in the car sketching hands, something she said she was struggling to get right.
When practice ended, before she could share her dissatisfaction with her work, Lucas came barreling into the car and exclaimed, “Oh wow, Mom, those are great!’ “
“It’s the least I could do,” Lucas said. “Egg her on and keep supporting her even when she was learning some of the basic things.”
In 2015, she began working with a Los Angeles-based sports art and memorabilia company, Art of the Game. The company has galleries at Dodger Stadium, Angels Stadium and the Staples Center where some of Frost’s pieces are featured.
Along with the art she has created for Art of the Game, Frost’s work includes landscapes, portraits, automobiles and even a collection titled “The MLB Collection,” which features hats from all 30 Major League Baseball teams.
Inspired by the history and her connection to the game, baseball has guided Frost’s career as an artist. Lucas knew it was only a matter of time before the White Sox discovered what his mother was creating.
“It was inevitable,” Lucas said.
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After being approached by the White Sox in early June, Frost had about two months to create five pieces for the team. If you factor in the time away to fly to Cleveland and watch Lucas pitch at the All-Star Game, she had less than that.
Frost spent much of her time between June and her August debut researching the team’s history. Up until that point, the only history she was familiar with was that of the 1919 Black Sox.
“She might know a little bit more White Sox history than I do at this point,” Lucas said.
She was inspired by the Sox’ three World Series titles and three of her pieces commemorate those wins in 1906, 1917 and 2005. Her final two pieces feature a vintage Sox hat and a bobblehead.
Frost’s five paintings will be on display at Guaranteed Rate in the Revolution Brewing #SoxSocial Tap Room. At the end of the season, they will be auctioned to support White Sox Charities.
“For a period of time we both worked for the same organization,” Lucas said. “That’s pretty cool.”
