Chicago-born Carlo Beninati was recognized a talented sports player and an artist from a young age. He soon chose to concentrate on his artistic talents instead of becoming an athlete himself, eventually combining his two interests into a perfect fit for him professionally. Beninati became a successful commercial artist, work that taught him the marketing and promotional skills which benefit his career as a portraitist.

As a much sought-after portrait artist, Beninati has spent real 'quality time' with some of the world's most recognized and celebrated sports figures, including Muhammad Ali, Mario Andretti, Michael Jordan, Mike Ditka and Nolan Ryan, just to name a few. Beninati strives to "maintain global awareness of people, places and special events of significance to posterity." His famous sports portraits are considered to be extremely collectible and are also sold to benefit some of the favorite causes supported by the celebrities he paints.

Among the many accolades and honors bestowed upon Beninati, he was chosen to create the official poster for the 11th annual Brickyard 400 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race of 2004. The race was won by NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon, who races the "Drive to End Hunger" Chevrolet SS.

Beninati, whose artwork is displayed in the White House as well as in Fortune 500 Companies and in the homes of celebrities all over the world, sees a parallel between the artistic process and the athletic one. "Believe it or not, it takes strength and endurance to turn one of these paintings out," he said. "It's exhausting. It reminds me of golf, target practice or the precision needed to hit a baseball. Stroking with a paintbrush, you have to hit an exact point tens of thousands of times, and you can't miss."