Nicholas P Trabue

Trabue, Nicholas P., 69, world renowned artist of painting, drawing, print, film and advertising, passed away Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at his home in Andover, KS. Services will be at 5:00 p.m., Saturday May 15, at First United Methodist Church, 330 N. Broadway, Wichita. Nick was a loving husband and devoted father. At age 9, Nick was a victim of a shooting accident which resulted in partial paralysis. Despite this challenge, Nick overcame his physical disabilities. He graduated from East High School then went on to graduate from WSU with degrees in Fine Arts, Painting and Literature. After graduating from WSU, Nick traveled throughout the US doing portraits. He returned to Wichita and took the art direction position at Henrys Department Stores. The opportunity to travel led him to Africa where he spent 5 years. While in Africa he helped form Global Village Films, and advertising and documentary film production company based in Nairobi and London. His clients included the United Nations, of which they distributed and media produced the first Earth Day; Kodak International camera to the Third World, and the National Christian Council of Kenya. Along the way he received awards in Milan, Montreal and London. Nick returned to the US in 1975 where he again became an illustrator. He was an award-winning creative director which included his own ad agency. Nick taught illustration and figure drawing at WSU. In 1995, he left advertising because as Albert Steiner, a painter and illustrator said: “There is artand there is advertising.” Nick then embarked on the study of philosophy and the nude by observing the ideas and techniques of the Old Masters. Nick studied at the Academy of Realist Art, working with artists Anthony Ryder, Dominique Creterra and Martha Mayer Erlebacher, who said of Nick, “He painted like an angelwith a lurid past.” Nick had a private exhibition at the Wichita Art Museum entitled “Realistic Pluralism: The Art of Nicholas Trabue.” www.trabuegiclees.com Nick spent the last few years continuing his journey as an artist and “devoting myself simply to being, entrusted with a specific task to try to make those indelible traces of the mythic within the ordinary more accessible.” Nick, we will all miss you, but your artistic legacy will always be with us. Nick was preceded in death by his parents, June and M. G., and brothers, Christopher and Timothy. Those left to share his memories are his wife, his one true love, Christine Trabue “Carla Sue” of 25 years and daughter, Elizabeth Anne, the light of his life, “EBD Anne”. A memorial has been established with Ghana School, c/o First United Methodist Church, 330 N. Broadway, Wichita, 67202. Downing Lahey Mortuary East.