United States Sports University Honors Canadian Murray Henderson as 2026 Sport Artist of the Year in Daphne

DAPHNE, Ala. — A painting accident decades ago helped set Murray Henderson on the path to an honor no Canadian had received before. The United States Sports University recognized Henderson as its 2026 Sport Artist of the Year during a ceremony on its Daphne campus, and the reception also opened a yearlong exhibition of his work at the university’s American Sport Art Museum and Archives.

Henderson, who is based in Lakefield, Ontario, has been creating art for more than 30 years. His work focuses on sport, culture, identity and human achievement, and he said being singled out within a specialized field meant a great deal to him.

He said it was an incredible honor because he had been doing this his whole life, and being honored and respected as a sports artist is very hard in a niche market. He added that as a Canadian, he was the first Canadian to win it, which was pretty exciting.

An award with four decades of history

The Sport Artist of the Year Award is presented by the American Sport Art Museum and Archives, known as ASAMA, which sits on the campus of United States Sports University, formerly known as the United States Sports Academy. The award has been given for more than four decades to artists whose work captures the spirit and life of sport.

Henderson joins a list of past honorees that includes Ernie Barnes, Kadir Nelson, Steve Skipper, Cristóbal Gabarrón and Steven Lester, according to the university. Alabama has its own place in that history: painter Daniel A. Moore, known for his paintings of memorable Alabama football moments, became the first Alabamian to win the award in 2005.

The university announced Henderson’s selection in August and presented the award as part of its annual Awards of Sport program, which recognizes achievements across the sports world, from coaching and athletic accomplishment to humanitarian work and sports media. When the selection was announced, ASAMA Art Board member Angela Phillips described what drew the board to his work.

Phillips said that Murray Henderson’s work immediately captured their attention through its sense of controlled chaos, powerful movement, and bold use of color. Phillips added that Henderson’s philosophy of building each piece with precision and destroying it with emotion is vividly reflected in his work.

How a spill became a style

Henderson’s approach is known as “exact abstract,” a blend of detailed realism and loose, expressive paintwork. He said the style grew out of a mistake.

Henderson said that he used to do photo realism but it was a mistake; he spilled paint on a piece and a friend said he would buy it because the splatters gave it energy.

Today, he builds his pieces around a careful rendering of his subject’s face, then allows the rest of the canvas to take on a life of its own.

He said he would do the faces as close to realism as possible and then stand back and let the rest go.

According to the university, Henderson works in painting, drawing, ink, airbrush and mixed media, often producing large-scale portraits of athletes and cultural figures. Some of his pieces incorporate authentic game-used or personally worn sports memorabilia, tying the artwork directly to the athletes and moments it depicts.

Painting alongside athletes

Henderson has also taken his work out of the studio. Through live painting events and collaborations, including a series called the DREAM Collection, he has worked with athletes and celebrities to recreate their signature moments, using their own equipment to apply paint. The university noted that participants have included former NBA player Ryan Anderson and NFL players Shaquem and Shaquill Griffin.

His work has been shown at Miami Art Week, Fanatics Fest NYC and the National Sports Collectors Convention, settings that put sports art in front of collectors and fans who might not otherwise visit a gallery.

A yearlong exhibition in Daphne

The ceremony also marked the opening of a yearlong exhibition of Henderson’s work at ASAMA, and the exhibition is open to the public. As the 2026 honoree, one of his pieces will also join the museum’s permanent collection, according to the university.

ASAMA was founded in 1984 to preserve and celebrate the connection between athletic competition and artistic expression. Its collection now includes more than 1,800 works, including paintings, sculptures, prints, posters and photography, making it one of the largest public collections of sports art in the world. The museum also displays work by past Sport Artist of the Year winners, so Henderson’s pieces will hang in the same building as those of the artists who came before him.

The grounds are worth a look, too. Outside the main building, Heritage Plaza includes a brick Walk of Fame and a two-story mural by Gabarrón honoring Jackie Robinson’s role in breaking baseball’s color barrier, along with a sculpture park featuring works by Fairhope artist Bruce Larsen.

About United States Sports University

United States Sports University, based in Daphne, has offered specialized sports education for more than 50 years. The university prepares students for careers in sport through undergraduate and graduate programs in areas such as sports management, coaching, exercise science, sport leadership, sport psychology and business administration.

Planning a visit

• What: Yearlong exhibition of work by 2026 Sport Artist of the Year Murray Henderson
• Where: American Sport Art Museum and Archives, United States Sports University campus, Daphne
• Admission: The exhibition is open to the public; the museum has traditionally offered free tours
• More information: Visitors should check the museum’s website or call the university for current hours before going

For Eastern Shore residents and visitors alike, the exhibition offers a close-up look at an artist whose career began with a spill and has now brought him to an honor that, by his own account, no Canadian had held before.