College Time

Even though I wanted out of Ohio, I decided to follow my high school sweetheart to Columbus, Ohio, to go to CCAD, which was just minutes away from Ohio State, where the boyfriend went to school. I really enjoyed the foundation year program at CCAD. It was grueling, but the traditional and somewhat conservative curriculum gave me the guidance and discipline I needed.

I spent two years in Columbus, where I majored in Fashion and minored in Painting. Surprisingly, the Fashion Department at CCAD was the only nontraditional program there. Of course, we learned the basics of sewing, fashion illustration, pattern drafting, and draping, but equal amounts of time were spent learning about fabric dyeing techniques, silk screening garments, tailoring and the properties of the textiles we were working with, (which was my favorite part of my time in the fashion department).

Here's this monkey I drew for an assignment during my foundation year.


Columbus is one of those secretly arty cities that extended off the CCAD campus and spread though out the city. While I was living there, I knew other artists in the community and posed for several local painters. Here's this one guy. I wish I remembered his name.

The summer before I left Columbus to move to Los Angeles and transfer colleges to attend a more rigorous Fashion program at Otis College of Art and Design, I posed for Terry Rogers.

About a year after the move I saw this painting of Terry's on the cover of Flaunt Magazine. (I'm in the middle wearing a white robe). Work it out Terry!

Here I am again.

Hello roots? You don't have to be that real, Terry!

J

Jesus House

I've lived in Los Angeles for awhile now, so long, that you might mistake me for a native. But up to my sophomore year in college,(the first sophomore year, not the second one), I lived in Ohio for the majority of my life.

My parents met in Bible college, in one of the Dakotas, (I can never remember which, but does it really matter), in the years after the sexual revolution. Worried for their mortal perverted souls, they became Born Again Christians and studied to be a pastor and missionary. But soon after they met, they dropped out of college, and moved back to my Dad's home town of Cleveland, Ohio to get married and have a bunch of babies.

Even though they abondoned school, they did not abandon their beliefs. Well, not for many years anyway, but I'll save that story for another day. In short, if you have ever seen the documentary, Jesus Camp, that explains a little about my childhood. I lived it, not just a few weeks in the summer, but every GD day. It wasn't the kinda church where they drink poison and snakes bite you and stuff, but there was lots of speaking in tounges, unsupervised children, bigotry and trying to convert me.

My sisters and I attended the Christian elementary school that was in connection with the church. A few years ago I found this booklet of artwork I did when I was in 1st grade.

I couldn't decide which one I wanted to do.

Oh no! Look everyone, Gilbert wants to help!

Yes, Gilbert, you are a very handsome man.

and very helpful.

I leave you with an apocalyptic message from 6 year old me. It's something about Jesus and giant worm cats.

J