The new University of Mobile Store’s “Mobile Makers” collection features original products with UM connections, like watercolors of UM’s iconic Weaver Hall and Ram statue created by alumna Megan Desko. Here is Megan’s story.
In early 2018 I was feeling homesick for Alabama, specifically the Mobile and Baldwin county area where I grew up, went to college, and met my husband. I longed for the colors, scenery and architecture of the Gulf Coast, so I started painting Dauphin Street, downtown Fairhope, the University of Mobile, Docks, Oysters and more. I have been drawing and painting since childhood, experimenting with different subjects and mediums, but the merging of my love for my hometown and my newfound love for watercolor painting sparked a wave of creativity that has kept me painting almost nonstop for the last several years.
In painting Weaver Hall, I wanted to create a piece that would bring fond memories of college times. As the first building on campus, Weaver Hall is something that binds Mobile College and University of Mobile graduates together throughout the years. For the Ram statue, I wanted to portray the strength of UM’s mascot and the pride we all have in our alma mater.
About the Artist
Megan Desko is a 2008 University of Mobile graduate with a double major in English and theology. She currently lives in Savannah, Georgia, where she works at home as an artist while homeschooling her two children. Her husband, Andrew, also graduated from UM in 2008, and is a student pastor. Through her business, MeganDeskoArt.com, she loves working with people to create commissioned pieces of homes, pets and more, while sharing her faith and passion for teaching.