ALMetro360

his eagle is a special bird. She is 22 years old and has done more than 40 gameday flights. As a ritual at Auburn these flights captivate the crowds who watch her circling higher and higher, many secretly wondering if this time she will take off into the wild blue yonder. Malkoff feels that this ceremony has much greater significance than a football game, and that it “is a reminder of our nation’s freedom.” His pencil drawing of Spirit has a purpose. Working in partner- ship with the College of Veterinary Medicine and the raptor center, Malkoff is printing only 3,000 copies of his work. These will be 28 AL/ Metro 360 www.almetro360.com CULTURE .............................................................................................................................................. Stephen Malkoff Pencil Drawings with a Purpose B Y H ENRIETTA M AC G UIRE T HERE ARE MANY WAYS TO PLAY FOOTBALL : EITHER HEAD IN DIRT OR PENCIL IN HAND , AND THE ARTIST , S TEPHEN M ALKOFF , HAS DONE BOTH . A S A STUDENT AT A UBURN HE WAS A DEFENSIVE LINEMAN IN 1988 UNDER THE LEGENDARY COACH , P AT D YE . L ATER , AFTER MANY YEARS OF TRAINING AND WORKING , HE DID THE PENCIL DRAWING BELOW . I T ’ S CALLED THE “S PIRIT OF A UBURN ” AND SHOWS THE RAPTOR LIFTING OFF IN A GAMEDAY FLIGHT . T