1992

Since July was all about “Codename: VooDoo Chyl’” comic art, I originally intended for August to be about mural art.

And now here we are: half-way through August and NO MURALS. Allow me to explain. One thing that slowed me down was finishing artwork for the blog banner. Another of the hold-ups was compiling photos of old murals.

The first “mural” I ever remember painting was in the Tallahassee Mall around Spring 1992. I put the term mural in quotations because I didn’t really think of it as a mural, just a “bigger picture” of a design I drew for a contest. I didn’t realize it until I gathered pictures for this blog, that maybe some back-story is in order. It turns out that 1992 was a big year for me artistically.

I’d been in the local paper twice before: once for throwing a baseball at a dunk tank during some bike safety rodeo sponsored by the TPD and another time for an art contest, in 1989.

The third time I was in the newspaper was in January 1992. My art teacher at the time chose to have my artwork printed in the “Student Artwork” section of the paper. Interestingly, the Tallahassee Democrat stopped publishing “Student Artwork” during my first year of teaching. Sorry kids.

Someone at the Paper must have liked what they saw, because I was recommended and hired (my first “contract” and paycheck) to illustrate the cover of the August 1992 “Back to School” supplement.

Later that year, (I think. I haven’t found any “date proof”) I entered a contest for the “Greater Gaither Golf and Games.” Contestants were to create a design promoting racial unity for a South Side golf course. I think it was my mom who suggested a black and white hands holding up a golf ball. Underneath this image would be the word: EQUALI-TEE. Only an elementary school teacher could create something so corny and catchy. Of all the entries submitted, I won. They printed the logo on visors, t-shirts, and the flags for the greens (“pins” for those in the know.)

I peaked in eighth grade. This probably explains why I thought, sincerely believed with all my heart, that I wasn’t going to finish high school. I was gonna be a professional comic book artist. Didn’t happen. Never thought I’d need a college degree. Didn’t think I’d need to use it. Never dreamt I’d be renewing my teaching certificate after five years. Am sickened by the prospect of renewing it again after next year. Ten years of teaching!?!

Boy, have I been wrong.

So what does this have to do with murals? Trust me, I’m getting to that…