UM "grandma student" decorates downtown window for homecoming

Paint covered Carrie Nash"s hands Friday, and one tiny fleck of color shone in her hair.

The prominent hues? Copper and gold, the throwback colors of the University of Montana Grizzlies, the ones UM is featuring for Homecoming 2015.

Nash, a freehand artist, celebrated the football team by painting the windows in front of The M Store downtown. A helmet and alumni flag with a welcome sign decorated one side, and a throwback bear that looked nothing like Monte sporting a fierce face on the other side.

A step ladder splattered with paint stood under the window.

Nash, a sign painter and UM business major who calls herself a "grandma student," has been on the job for some 36 years. Homecoming week is one of her favorites, a chance to help rally the team and alumni with her artwork.

"I"m a huge football fan, and it"s the Griz, so you take a little more pride in your hometown," Nash said.

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Nash has been painting since she was a junior in high school.

She started as an art student when a bank asked her if she could paint their windows for Christmas. She agreed, and spent five days working on a project that now takes her two hours.

The holidays are her busiest time of year, but the paintings with team spirit are among the most popular.

"I think people love it, especially when we do Griz stuff. We"re representing. I go through a lot of maroon and silver paint," Nash said.

She moved to Missoula some 15 years ago, and since then, she"s painted windows all over town, from Dan"s Soup and San to Les Schwab to Grizzly Liquor to Harvest Foods in Lolo, and she regularly rolls and brushes the windows for Worden"s Market.

"I do it all freehand," she said.

When she hits the homecoming parade route with her grandchildren, she"d like to see as many festive and welcoming displays as possible. She herself plans to hit shops along the route with a special offer.

On Friday, small plastic containers filled with paint lined the back of her truck, and Nash won"t tell anyone the exact ingredients.

"It"s my trademark secret. I add special stuff to it so it stands out better," she said.

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Nicole Ingram, manager at The M Store, hunted down Nash last year to do a window display when UM introduced the old colors.

"She"s freakin" amazing. I love her. Love her, love her, love her," Ingram said.

This year, she called the artist again. She wanted to focus on welcoming back alumni, but Ingram also likes the idea that she"s supporting a nontraditional student when she hires Nash.

A couple of years ago, with four children grown and seven grandchildren, Nash decided to enroll at UM to get a degree in business. She describes herself as a late bloomer, and one thrilled with the new chapter of her life.

"I"m having a blast," she said.

Source: http://missoulian.com/news/local/um-grandma-student-decorates-downtown-window-for-homecoming/article_bee10a37-2088-5742-bcc2-24d16ab21ba9.html