For Owatonna, Minn., it was a reunion and an art opening. Scott Nylund, who grew up there, returned this month to stage a retrospective of his fashion drawings, "An Evolution of Illustration," at the Owatonna Arts Center -- no small feat for a 32-year-old.
As the design director for Beyond Productions, which is owned by Beyoncé and her mother, Tina Knowles, Nylund has mastered the superstar's flashy, blingy style. However, as you trace his work back to junior high school, it's clear he always had a flair for attitude and downtown style.
His precocious love of drawing is something he hopes to pass on. "So many of my friends' kids came, and so did kids from 4-H, who were watching us put it together all week," Nylund said. "It's neat to inspire younger generations."
His friends from Owatonna's class of 1995 joined newer friends and relatives, along with aspiring artists, to examine the drawings and resulting dresses. Prof. Douglas Eckheart, who originally suggested that Nylund go to New York, drove from Decorah, Iowa, to spend 15 minutes with his former Luther College pupil. The only thing missing was Beyoncé herself.
With the exhibit open until the end of the month, maybe she'll still stop by.
Sara Glassman • 612-673-7177
