Room 212 Artists' Space

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Circa mid ‘70s, I had graduated with a studio art degree at UCI, taught art in an experimental high school program for a couple of years, and was on a good run exhibiting my work with shows at LACMA and SoCal galleries.  At the time, I had a studio at the top of Del Mar Avenue in the historical Bank of America building overlooking San Clemente. It was a dramatic view extending all the way up the coast to Dana Point.  

The top floor became a bit of a center for contemporary art in San Clemente.  Artist, Tom Threinen, moved into an available space on the same floor.  We were soon joined by artist and fellow UCI grad Tom Stanton as well as Victoria Kogan, art lecturer and part owner of the TLK Gallery.   Some amazing times were spent there. A couple of times a year, I’d open my space for a few weeks and do exhibits of other artists like sculptor, Mike King and printmaker, Maurice Gray. When the Newport Harbor Art Museum (now known as the Orange County Museum of Art) did the survey exhibit, Our Own Artist/Art in Orange County, in 1979 my space became part of the satellite exhibits along with four colleges in the county. Room 212 Artists' Space, as I called it then, was the only artist space sponsored. I am very proud of what was accomplished in that studio. Through my art and that space, I first met Larry “Flame” Moore, the legendary photo editor of Surfing Magazine. I had hired Larry to shoot my first one-person exhibit at the Arnold Gallery in the Cannery District of Newport Beach. In doing so, Larry asked if he could rent my back studio from time to time for advertising shoots. Of course, being a starving artist, I saw it as a great opportunity. One day about six months later, Larry told me Surfing magazine was hiring an art director, and I should apply. I told him I was a “contemporary” artist and had never taken a graphics class in my life. Flame was infamous for not taking no for an answer and convinced me to interview. Figuring it a cool chance to get inside and look at the workings of a surf mag I interviewed, showing up with two plastic sleeves of 35mm slides of my abstract paintings about the ocean and coastline. Not your average surf mag imagery. I met with editor Richard Dowdy and then with the head of advertising, Bob Mignogna. Much to my shock, I was hired! The rest is history, with my exhilarating ride at Surfing lasting 24 years.

The Halo portrait photo was taken by Tom Threinen when I had come over to his space to use his phone.  It was taken shortly after I started as an art director at Surfing magazine.  Ironically, the position vacated by Tom, who wanted to focus more on his fine arts drawings.  Tom would later do a masterful drawing of the photo and gift me with it.

Special thanks to my studio landlord, Leo Fessenden, R.I.P., for cheap rent and for allowing a bunch of crazy artists to occupy the top floor.