search articles: 

   from the issue of November 15, 2007

     
 
  Study abroad inspires news-ed student's creative side

Taking a day off on campus

 BY TROY FEDDERSON, UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

An Italian summer came to life under a fall Nebraska sun.


A GOOD DAY - Nick Graves (left), a junior news-editorial major from Omaha, works on his chalk drawing,
 
A GOOD DAY - Nick Graves (left), a junior news-editorial major from Omaha, works on his chalk drawing, "The Baggage She Carries, She Carries in Her Eyes," outside the Nebraska Union Nov. 9. Pictured with Graves are Elizabeth Bartz, a freshman international studies major from Aurora, and Zach LaGrau, a senior history major from Omaha. Photo by Troy Fedderson/University Communications.

 
Trading textbooks for pastels, Nick Graves - a junior, news-editorial major from Omaha - opted for a skip day Nov. 9. Rather than sleep the day away or tromp to a local coffee shop, Graves turned a doodle into a work of pavement art outside the Nebraska Union.

"I spent a semester studying abroad, in Florence, Italy, and there were people who did this every day on the streets," Graves said, as he chalked in an initial layer of color shortly after 9 a.m. "From that point on, this was something I wanted to try. I just decided that today was the day."

The design, titled "The Baggage She Carries, She Carries in Her Eyes," featured a dual image. From a few feet away, a woman crosses a river on stepping stones, carrying a pair of baskets as a scarf flutters on a nearby tree. From a distance, the face of a woman appears - baskets for eyes, a red dress for a nose and a stepping stone smile.

"It is based on a doodle I did a couple of years ago," Graves said. "I had forgotten about it. When I found it two weeks ago, it inspired me to do this."

He passed the day with Bob Dylan and folk music CDs playing in the background and a friend, Zach LaGrau, a senior history major from Omaha, strumming guitar on the side. Graves paused to talk with anyone who asked questions - he guessed about 30 people actually stopped to discuss the work, with about 13 offering their names.

"I was amazed how brave people are," Graves said. "It takes a lot of courage to walk up to someone and start talking to them."

When he finished shortly after 5 p.m., Graves walked away pleased with the final outcome.

"It was a great day to be outside working on this and I met some pretty interesting people," said Graves. "I think everyone should take some time and do something like this. It really was a great experience."


GO TO: ISSUE OF NOVEMBER 15

NEWS HEADLINES FOR NOVEMBER 15

Medical premiums unchanged for full-time employees
$1.28M grant powers virus ed program
Art and a Movie
Draft of UNL strategic plan available for online review
Snow aids discovery of cosmic ray source
Campus votes bring ACE proposal into focus
Taking a day off on campus

732995S37569X