Roald Bradstock has been a javelin star forever — as an Olympian and masters record holder. But now he’s bringing his day job to the fore — as an artist. In recent weeks, since becoming executive director of Art of the Olympians Organization, he’s been traveling and doing TV interviews. A press release and Roald’s pitch are below, which do a great job of telling his group’s story. I wish I were an Olympian who could draw.

Please share these with your Olympian friends:

Media contact:  
Roald Bradstock:  
r.bradstock@artoftheolympians.org    
 
Athlete Known as “Olympic Picasso” Launches Effort  
to Grow Olympian/Artist Group  
Elite group of athlete/artists aims to double its members  
 

(March 15, 2016) FORT MYERS, Florida — Art of the Olympians Organization (AOTO), an international-based group of elite Olympic athletes-turned-artists, has launched a global membership initiative to double its roster in the next six months. The renowned nonprofit group hopes to grow worldwide to expand its global citizenry programs through Olympian and Paralympian athletics, arts and culture teachings.   
 


”It’s a very ambitious goal,” says AOTO Executive Director Roald Bradstock, an Olympic javelin thrower and artist who recently was interviewed on CNN about his career and his goals for the organization. “Our target is to at least double our current roster of Olympian and Paralympian artists. It took several years to bring together 29 Olympians. We want to get our roster to as close to 60 Olympians if we can. We believe we can reach this goal by getting the word out globally through the traditional media and social media channels.” 
 
Bradstock, a two time British Olympian and former world record holder turned painter is known as “The Olympic Picasso.” This past fall, he was appointed by parent organization, the Al Oerter Foundation (AOF), to lead AOTO’s expansion effort.
  

AOTO was founded in 2006 by Oerter, four-time consecutive Olympic discus champion. The group started with 14 Olympic athletes from seven different countries with 19 Olympic medals among them. Aside from their athletic prowess, they are also champions of the visual arts, excelling in a wide range of mediums including clay, acrylics, oils, watercolors, fabrics and paper. 

Since he’s taken the reins, Bradstock hopes to broaden the organization beyond the visual arts to include Olympians and Paralympians who are accomplished musicians, singers, dancers, actors, poets, authors and much more. 
 
“Our goal is to promote the ideals of work ethic and mind, body and spirit through the arts,” Bradstock said. “Art is more than creating a painting and hanging it on a wall. It’s a way of thinking and living. It’s about connecting, communicating and a way to express who we are. I need everyone out there to help me find these Olympian and Paralympian artists. Call me, text me, send me an email or send a smoke signal to get in touch. We want to create a movement here, and the only way to do that is to get more people involved.”  
 
AOTO has moved away from its original Fort Myers museum and gallery office setting and now features itself and its programs via a virtual and mobile platform. Over the past 10 years, AOTO has had exhibitions at the United Nations and at three
Olympic Games: the 2008 Beijing games, the 2010 Vancouver games and the 2012 London games. 

They’ve also had their artwork shown for a month on the giant screen in Times Square. The group was also the subject of an award-winning documentary, hosted by 1968 Olympic Figure Skating Champion Peggy Fleming, who is also one of AOTO’s artists.   
 


Olympians and Paralympians interested in joining AOTO’s world-wide program efforts are asked to contact the organization via email at info@artoftheolympians.org or contact them at (+1) 770-882-7799 (EST/U.S.A.) 

About Art of The Olympians (AOTO): Art of The Olympians Organization’s programs and platform promote the Olympic ideals and unite the Olympic and Paralympic movement through inclusive educational, cultural and collaborative programs, exhibitions and projects. AOTO is a program run by the Al Oerter Foundation (AOF).    
 

Here’s Roald’s letter dated March 15:

Dear National Olympic and Paralympic Committees.
 
I am the Executive Director of an international organization of Olympian and Paralympian artists called Art of the Olympians (AOTO).  We currently have 29 artists from 12 countries on our roster including two posthumous members:  Al Oerter, four time consecutive Olympic Discus Champion and founder of AOTO and triple Olympic Gold medalist sprinter Florence Griffith-Joyner (a.k.a “Flo-Jo”).
 
This month marks AOTOs 10 year anniversary since we held our first exhibition and ran our first program.  To mark this milestone we are launching a global campaign to build awareness and support for our organization and programs and beginning a worldwide search for new artists.  
 
We want to find Olympian and Paralympian artists of all abilities from the professional and professionally trained, award winning full-time painter, to the part-time musician and hobbyist.  

We want to bring together a unique group of athletes that have reached a universally recognized standard of excellence as athletes — becoming Olympians or Paralympians — and who also embrace the arts: painting, sculpture, photography, video, film, singing, dancing, acting, music, poetry, writing, etc.
 
Two weeks ago I was on the BBC and last week I was interviewed on CNN International in studio, here in Atlanta, to talk about AOTO and officially launch this first ever search to find Olympian and Paralympian artists:

We believe there are dozens, maybe even hundreds of athlete artists in the World and we want to find them. Our ultimate goal is to have Olympian and Paralympian artists from every country that competes in the Olympic and Paralympic Games represented in our organization.  But to accomplish this it is going to take a global effort. 
 
It is a great start to have CNN and the BBC help us in our quest.  But now we need your help.  We are contacting all 206 NOC’s and 177 NPC’s to ask for assistance in this historic search.  We are also asking for a show of support for AOTO asking each organization, to help us get the word about AOTO and our search for new artists through each country’s respective network and communication channels: traditional mail, email, national newsletters or magazines.
 
We want to connect as many Olympian and Paralympian artists as we can find and create a truly unique, diverse, inclusive and global organization that can and will promote the Olympic ideals and unite the Olympic and Paralympic movement through physical and virtual exhibitions, educational programs, cultural events and collaborative projects.
 
We believe that Art of the Olympians can help realize Pierre De Coubertin’s and Al Oerter’s collective visions by really embracing the Olympic creed – doing your best, taking part, fighting well and being the best you can be in all aspects of your life.
    
For more information on Art of the Olympians (AOTO) please visit our website at: www.artoftheolympians.org 
 
If you have any information about artists or questions you can contact me directly.
 
I thank you in advance for your help and support in this global effort.  
 
Regards
 
Roald Bradstock
Executive Director
Art of the Olympians
Website: www.artoftheolympians.org 
Email: r.bradstock@artoftheolympians.org
Phone: (+1) 770 882 7799 (USA/EST)
Skype: roald.bradstock