My photography professor from San Diego State, Walt Cotten, died on February 12th, 2008. He was am enormous influence on me in college and he is one of the reasons I teach art today. 3 of the 6 art classes I now teach involve photography.

I remember specifically one day outside of the litho classroom when he told me that sometimes the mundane can be very interesting and that he enjoyed my work. I had taken photos of a vacuum cleaner sucking up pieces of styrofoam and a mannikin head! The themes he introduced me to as a point of departure still interest me today. I drove around more in my car and took more photos because of him. He inspired me to produce more, think deeply about the work...he made me push myself. He was a true artist and teacher.

I remember the day Andy Warhol died because Walt announced it in class. It was 1987.