Josh LaBella – General Assignment Reporter
Nick Graham said he has a lot of interests. Throughout his life he said he has done oil painting, cooking, fashion, face painting, photography and jewelry making.
A transferring sophomore, Graham said he came to Southern Connecticut State University because he felt the art program had better teachers and better courses. He said decided to major in jewelry, a major he said he had not realized existed.
“A lot of the time people ask me if there is such thing as a jewelry major and I have to explain to them that it’s real,” said Graham.
Jewelry has always been something he has been interested in, said Graham.
“Every time I would go into a jewelry store I would be fascinated by all the diamonds and everything,” said Graham. “I’ve always wanted to work in one behind the counter.”
Graham said he is more interested in making jewelry for men but that he wanted to make things for women too.
“I would like to make rings and cufflinks and chains for men,” said Graham. “For women I would like to make wedding rings.”
Graham said he went to Silvermine School in New Canaan, and that is where he learned a lot of different mediums.
“They had a lot of art courses,” said Graham. “One was in jewelry and that gave me the option to do jewelry as a major because it taught me the necessary skills to come here and practice the craft. That is the place I learned to be an artist.”
Graham said before he transferred to Southern he was a makeup major. He said he likes to do theater makeup and face painting.
“I practice on myself and on my half-sister when she comes over our house,” said Graham.
One of his other passions, according to Graham, is oil painting, which he learned from his dad.
“My dad learned to paint a very long time ago,” said Graham. “He mainly does nude models and furniture. I mainly paint nude models. I have tried to do landscapes and things like that but I found it very challenging.”
Graham said he had a unique childhood. He said he was born near Moscow, Russia and lived in an orphanage. He said he does not remember it well but that it was a bad experience.
Graham said he was adopted when he was 2 years-old and moved to Fairfield. He said his family took him in because he looked like them and he has been living with them ever since.
“Every morning I take the train into New Haven with my mom and her husband,” said Graham. “They both work at Yale-New Haven Hospital.”
Graham said he likes New Haven because it reminds him of a smaller New York but is not as expensive.
“I want to live here after I graduate,” said Graham.
While he likes making jewelry, he does not want to have one job for his whole life, said Graham.
“Before I die,” said Graham, “I want to try and get as many different jobs as I can. Since I was little I felt like I was on a path to go where I want to go. Not many people are like that.”
Photo Credit: Josh LaBella