Inside KDOT: Tracy Eaton has a hidden talent under the orange hat

Tracy Eaton, Equipment Operator for the Concordia Subarea

By Ashley Tammen, Public Affairs Manager for north central Kansas

When we think of the equipment operators here at KDOT we probably picture them in an orange vest and hat working hard on the roads but overlook their other skills, hobbies, or talents they may have. One of those hidden talents was found in District Two in Concordia.

Tracy Eaton's mixed media drawing of an angry snow plow moving snow, Snow Matter.

The Concordia Subarea employees and Supervisor, David Casper, discovered their coworker, Tracy Eaton, had been coming into work early every morning before getting to work so he could draw pictures. Tracy Eaton’s pictures were not just paper sketches that any person could draw but rather artistic artwork he had created of KDOT equipment and more. Tracy enjoys drawing and says he must have been born with his artistic talent because he’s drawn his whole life.  Although he has never taken art lessons, he did take 2^nd place in his high school art class!

Eaton's colored pencil drawing of a classic car. 

Tracy’s coworkers liked his pictures so much that they began asking him for specific drawings of the KDOT snow plows, cars, etc. Tracy keeps several sketch pads in the break room at work to draw in when he is on break.