Painting pride of a Vandal

Nathan Vowels has Vandal pride, and the proof is in the painting.

Earlier this month the commercial painter decided to show his support for the University of Idaho and its football coach Robb Akey by painting his home on Moser Street in Moscow in Vandal colors with UI memorabilia accents.

"I brought my whole crew out here," said Vowels, owner of Nathan's Painting. "We had about seven out here and we just knocked it out. ... It was fun to do, and everybody liked it. It gets the whole pride thing working."

Vowels, 33, attended UI for two years before graduating from Lewis-Clark State College while his wife, Mia, is a UI graduate and the new deputy prosecutor for the Latah County Prosecutor's Office. They've lived at their home on Moser Street for seven years, which is the same amount of time Vowels has spent working periodically for the Akeys, he said.

"Moscow's kept me working and I really like Robb and Molly Akey," Vowels said, adding he ran into the football coach on his way to pick up paint for the house. "That's a pretty big sign."

Vowels and his wife settled on a black house with gold trim with an Idaho decal on an upstairs window and a Vandal Pride flag on the deck among other UI accoutrements.

"When we first started painting it, everybody was driving by like, 'What are they doing,' " he said. "I've never picked colors, ever. My wife always picks colors."

While a fan of the Vandals and Akey's energy, Vowels said he won't get much time off from work until early November and likely won't get to see many games until then. The Vandals play their first game Aug. 30 against Eastern Washington University.

"That guy's energy is just unreal," Vowels said. "He should be winning with how enthusiastic and hard he's working at it."

The Vowels also have twin daughters and a son who attend daycare at UI, where Nathan said he sometimes works.

"Man, that's a fat bill," he laughed. "Anytime I do work for them, I just hand the money back to the daycare."

In the winter, he said he works on red and white bird houses, which he gives to clients. He has about 300 in his front yard, which he said people are welcome to come by and collect for their homes. About three years ago, he gave away 500 Vandal-colored bird houses.

With Moscow's climate, Vowels said homes should be repainted every 7-10 years, and he doesn't expect his Vandal house to be permanent.

"I have to keep my wife happy and she'll pick the next color," he said, adding he might get away with Moscow High School colors when his children are old enough to attend. Either way, he has time. "I don't plan on moving anywhere else. I'm here until I die."

Brandon Macz can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 238, or by email to bmacz@dnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrandonMacz.