Mourning the death of a high school classmate…

Mourning the death of a high school classmate… but no ordinary high school and no ordinary classmate.

I arrived at Philips Exeter Academy (a hundred year old male institution which suddenly became co-ed!) from a public Junior High on Long Island. It was my first exposure to many things – blue-blood WASPS, people from every socio-economic group, and all manner of genius and eccentricity. With classroom sizes that never exceeded a dozen students, and situated in a remote town in New Hampshire, Exeter was an intense petri dish that can only leave indelible impressions on a young mind. I mostly treasure mine.

Tim Moynihan, son of Daniel Patrick, was such a singular memory as he lurched across campus in a wrinkled tuxedo. Underneath his intimidating façade was an extraordinarily talented, sensitive and complex individual who touched me deeply even as he disturbed me.

His words were biting, and his cartoons, even more so. His was a unique, unsettling voice of our subconscious.

The Society of Illustrators in NYC is celebrating his work and life on May 9th. I sadly cannot be there, but I really hope as many of you as possible get to experience him through his amazing illustrations.

Please see the flyer for the event of May 9th celebrating Tim, aka Gus Murphy, aka M.

And also here is one of the many illustrations which ubiquitously graced our yearbook and school paper – a bunch of us rushing to get into the Art Department, our sanctuary from the rigid academic life.