How Swedish Painter Created Jeremy Swayman’s Team USA Mask

Few pieces of sporting equipment are as iconic as the goalie mask — a look that has evolved from its simplest form to literal works of art over the years.

Representing your country is a special honor, one that deserves a fitting look, and Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman has been working with renowned Swedish goalie mask painter David Gunnarsson for the last few years.

“It is very exciting and fun to work with Jeremy,” Gunnarsson told NESN.com. “He always has such cool ideas. I have painted Team USA masks for him before.”

Swayman unveiled Gunnarsson’s latest creation for his Team USA 4 Nations Face-Off mask. The mask featured several unique sketches, including a formation of six fighter jets and the pinnacle image of six United States Marines raising the U.S. flag atop Mount Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima, crafted by the Småland, Sweden native.

“Jeremy sent me all his cool ideas,” Gunnarsson said. “I brainstormed (the images) and made a sketch based on his ideas. Jeremy wanted the formation on the jets, so it was based on his wishes.”

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Gunnarsson started his own airbrushing company at the age of 16 in his family’s barn and has been working exclusively with professional goalies for more than two decades.

“Next year, I celebrate 30 years as a full-time mask artist,” Gunnarsson said. “It is a very creative and fun job.”

Although Gunnarsson uses an airbrush for most of the painting, he often has to use brushes and pencils for some of the details.

Gunnarsson was recently extremely busy. He painted a handful of goalie masks for the 4 Nations Face-Off, including Jordan Bennington, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Jake Oettinger, Samuel Ersson, Juuse Saros and Linus Ullmark.

“Sometimes, if (the mask is needed in a hurry), it is done within a couple of days,” he said.

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Gunnarsson also painted Swayman’s everyday Bruins masks over the last couple of seasons, as well as last season’s historic centennial mask and the 2023 Winter Classic game mask.

The 26-year-old Alaskan native is not the only goaltender in the Bruins organization that he’s worked with. Gunnarsson painted Providence goaltenders Brandon Bussi and Michael DiPietro’s masks.