code: protected BufferedImage loadImage (ImageKey key)
      {
  //         if (EventQueue.isDispatchThread()) {
  //             Log.info("Loading image on AWT thread " + key + ".");
  //         }
  
          BufferedImage image = null;
          try {
              log.debug("Loading image " + key + ".");
              image = key.daprov.loadImage(key.path);
              if (image == null) {
                  log.warning("ImageDataProvider.loadImage(" + key + ") returned null.");
              }
  
          } catch (Exception e) {
              log.warning("Unable to load image '" + key + "'.", e);
  
              // create a blank image in its stead
              image = createImage(1, 1, Transparency.OPAQUE);
          }
  
          return image;
      }
docs: Loads and returns the image with the specified key from the supplied data provider.