News Apr 20, 2020

Imaginative Bright Spots: 4 Artistic Activities from Jacobs’ Creatives

From sidewalk chalk art and coloring pages, to an Earth Day challenge and handmade cards, our creative-minded teammates are making the most of their days and an impact on their communities.

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Imaginative Bright Spots

From sidewalk chalk art and coloring pages, to an Earth Day challenge and handmade cards, our creative-minded teammates are making the most of their days and an impact on their communities. Here are four examples of some of this week’s most imaginative moments at Jacobs:

    Sidewalk Chalk Art
    1. “A Whole New World”: This Jacobs Dad is Bringing Disney Magic to His Neighborhood

    A construction manager by day and an artist — and cool Dad — by night, Brian Morris is bringing his art to life on the sidewalks in front of his Hillsborough County, Florida home.

    In his spare time, he told the Tampa Bay ABC Affiliate, he draws, paints and does whatever art he can to unwind after his days as a construction project manager on the Tampa International Airport Modernization Master Plan project, where Jacobs is performing program management services.

    After a drawing of a Koi fish he made with his two daughters one afternoon caught the eyes of several neighbors and brightened their days, Brian says his wife, Jennifer, encouraged him to keep going. He’s now creating a chalk walk, with each sidewalk square depicting a different Disney movie.

    There’s The Little Mermaid’s Ariel and Flounder; Lady and the Tramp; Chip from Beauty and the Beast.

    And, his neighbors aren’t the only ones admiring his drawings – Good Morning America recently shared a short video featuring Brian and his Disney art on their online channel and social media.

    One of his most recent drawings features Lilo and Stitch, a film which highlights the importance of family and closeness. He says the film’s “Ohana” theme means family and families are what he aims to bring together through his art.

    “The wonderful reaction we have received across the nation and abroad is amazing,” he enthuses. “We have been notified from people in Canada and Australia that have seen the story. It has been a great pleasure spreading smiles across the world during this time when everyone needs a little joy back in their lives.”

    Brian says he plans to keep drawing and bringing joy, and a little Disney magic back to his local streets just as soon as the rainy weather clears in Florida.

    Coloring Book
    1. Free, Downloadable Coloring Book: Jacobs’ Iconic Projects

    While we might not all be as gifted as Brian, creative art is a great way to relax and release tension – and we could all use a bit of that these days. If the Disney magic’s got you feeling inspired, try your hand at our collection of Jacobs’ iconic projects turned into coloring pages.  

    We rounded up a handful of our global projects and turned them into a free, downloadable coloring book for adults and kids alike to enjoy while staying safe at home.

    Thumbnail Art
    1. Earth Day

    Earth Day might look and feel a bit different this year, but that’s not stopping us from celebrating. On this, the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, April 22, we are launching our Climate Action Plan – which sets out our response to solving for climate change. With this year’s theme being climate action, our new plan comes at the perfect time (yes, we planned it like that.)

    To celebrate Earth Day, we challenged our global Jacobs teammates to re-create the Earth from items they already had around their homes — whether it’s an edible treat, a painted masterpiece or a slow-motion video — to tell the story of what the Earth means to them. We even encouraged whole households to get involved, recognizing that many of our colleagues have young children at home these days.

    Tomorrow, we’ll be featuring the top submissions on Jacobs.com and on our social media channels – but here’s a sneak peek at one of the entries: stunning Earth-inspired nail art from Sam Steele, a digital content producer in our Glasgow, Scotland office.

    Greeting Cards
    1. Crafting a Heartening “Thank You” to Local Healthcare Staff

    When they got married, Crystal Reuss wasn’t sure her husband knew the full extent of her passion for crafting and creating.

    But, she says, he’s been a huge support of her latest project, a batch of handmade cards for local hospital staff.

    Each Christmas season, Crystal, a geologist and project manager in our Milwaukee, Wisconsin, office, participates in the Caring Hearts Card Drive which gathers homemade cards to give out to the elderly that live in nursing homes or may be living alone.

    This experience gave her an idea: Use her crafting superpowers to send an uplifting message to those working in the COVID-19 Intensive Care Unit (ICU) wards.

    You are Awesome

    She’s now created and sent more than 50 cards to three local area hospitals — Froedtert Menomonee Falls and Froedtert West Bend Hospitals, where her sister-in-law is a palliative care social worker, and ProHealth Waukesha Memorial Hospital, where a close friend works as a doctor — to thank people for the hard work they’re doing on the frontlines. And, her husband’s even written notes of encouragement in most of the cards.

    “I hope these cards can give a small boost to the medical workers that are in the thick of it every day,” Crystal shares. “Crafting is just one example of an unconventional way that we can show our support in these difficult times.”

    In her role at Jacobs, Crystal supports various environmental remediation projects, primarily for our U.S. federal clients. She says she loves that the work we do every day provides a wide range of interesting challenges and directly benefits the community. It’s no surprise she’s found a new, crafty way to give back, when it’s needed most.

    Crystal encourages, “Even during the times we are social distancing from home, together we can continue to do good for others and change the world.”