Tuesday, March 2, 2010

High School Me

Here’s the high school version of me, measuring my way out of a thicket with a pencil and a handful of brushes. It’s obviously a hammy pose because I didn’t know how to paint yet.

I went to high school in Palo Alto, California, before it was the Silicon Valley. I was part of a remarkable 1976 graduating class that included Patrick Coyne, who runs Communication Arts magazine.

I was sort of a dim-witted (I flunked trigonometry) and low-level prankster, known for dumb stunts like drinking the fermentation project in biology class (on a 50 cent dare), and flying cardboard boomerangs around the room when the teachers weren’t looking. I don’t think I fully appreciated the golden goods the teachers were trying to give us until much later.

(Photo by David Gurney).

13 comments:

  1. Palo Alto, California? did you ride narrow skateboards and say "rad" all the time, haha!

    love the three prong mutton chops, you were the man!!

    RAD DUDE!!

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  2. This is really cool. I've wondered what you were like as a high school student. Can we see some of your high school era art as well?r

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  3. You mean fermentation projects aren't meant to be drunk???

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  4. I don't have room to mention all the kinds of math I flunked in school. (I drew some great monsters and dinosaurs in the margins though)

    I'd love to see what the margins of your math papers looked like!


    E.T.
    evancthomasart.blogspot.com

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  5. Dude! I grew up in Cupertino and my Grandparents live in Palo Alto. How come I never knew this about you? Very cool. I'd love to know what street you were on.

    South bay all the way man....

    -Craig
    Craig Elliott Gallery

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  6. These are the reflections that give us hope for our children -- it is important to remember that so many of the best people were wacky kids. thanks.

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  7. Must've been something in the water in ol' Palo Alto. :)

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  8. You are great person and I love your art

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  9. What a great story. My daughter is in the Palo Alto school system (junior high) and will be going to Paly. She says "I am an artist" - and so she is. She's not so good at math too. LOL

    Thanks for the inspiration/role model for her - you made her day better.

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  10. I graduated from high school in '76 also. It was a great year.

    Thanks for sharing your memories with us!

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  11. Great story! Good to know you've kept the tradition of the Beret since youth as well!

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