Meet the artist behind SF Giants shortstop Willy Adames' Players' Weekend Glove

Major league baseball just had their Players' Weekend which is an effort to allow players to use bats and gloves that express themselves and what they care about. SF Giants shortstop Willy Adames had some very special gear for the occasion.

"My heart was beating so fast," said Ardyn Kesterman. That was her reaction to being chosen as the artist to design Willy Adames' Players' Weekend glove.

Meeting the artist who designed SF Giants shortstop's glove for Players' Weekend

Adames wanted to incorporate inspiration from the city of his team and his heritage while flashing the leather at short stop this weekend. The glove, purple with the SF Giants City Connect logo across the fingers and the Golden Gate Bridge across the knuckles, was hand-painted by Kesterman for Players' Weekend.

Kesterman has been working for Golden Goose in New York City as a visual designer since October of 2024. She started a business herself in high-school, designing custom sneakers for friends and family, but began doing commissions after gaining some traction on Instagram. A self-starter, she is now reaping the benefits of her work.

"I was a quiet kid growing up," said Kesterman. "I like to open people's eyes to other ways they can express themselves too."

Openly expressing yourself falls in line with who Adames is as a person. The slugger has been in high spirits since his early season slump, and continues to be the heartbeat of the team through their back half struggles.

"I had to figure out a design that was cohesive, but had details from each theme," said Kesterman. "We had to have the middle-man communication which was difficult for the design process."

Despite her having to work long hours and the project coming down to the last day, Kesterman was able to create an iconic glove for the shortstop, who has shown nothing but love for the city of San Fransisco since signing with the team in December.

Kesterman, who has been painting leather for the last eight years, had done big projects before, but Adames is the first high profile personality she has done a design for.

"It was incredible to have the opportunity to get my creative side and artwork out there," said Kesterman.

Being able to see her artwork on the field was an incredibly fulfilling moment for Kesterman, especially on a platform with so much exposure.

"My heart was beating a million miles a minute the entire weekend," she said of the experience.

On the last day, Kesterman met up with Adames for a photoshoot and finally got the reaction from the shortstop. It was a suspenseful moment for Kesterman, who would finally get to see the culmination of her work.

"He was honestly the most genuine and friendly person, and very grateful for all the artists. Just a pleasure to work with."

After doing custom work for the past 10 years, Kesterman said it would be a dream come true to continue doing work custom work for professional athletes.

"I put all my effort into these designs... I love helping people express the best parts of themselves," said Kesterman.

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