While I was in art school studying illustration I was a rather confrontational individual. Many factors contributed to this behavior but a lack of patience was the main thing that led me to the work that I did later in the 1970s and early 80s. I had a feeling that I wasn't being taught or told the whole story of how realism editorial art was made. We were wasting time learning how to do 2 color halftones and use Burgess. Already antiquated processes. The Art Institute of Boston had just changed it's name from The School of Practical Art which probably explains why. It was a radical time with Viet Nam and a generation that was generally screaming for change. To make it short In the middle of this course illustrative realism I started handing in humorous work of my Goomby (Gumby) characters for my assignments.

HP Bast

I started signing my work with a stylized signature as HP Bast. It was modeled after Bob Peaks flamboyant sig. As I look back now it was real rebellion then it was just great challenge and fun.

 

The Good Ship Linden

It was a lucky time for me. My life kinda sucked but all the right opportunities were falling together.

I was working in a factory making styrofoam meat trays on the overnight shift. Fucking mind numbing. After a week I packed my BoyScout Backpack and my portfolio and left for Boston with no specific destination. I ended up at a Halloween party in an apartment near the Mass Pike in Brighton. Crashed for the night and sayer for months. It was the 70s. I hadn't realized it but I'd met The Boys my life long best friends.
I was hitch hiking on Commonwealth Ave and was picked up be a man named Bruce Anderson. He had seen my portfolio and asked me to come to his art studio on Commercial Wharf. He had an old school commercial art operation. Work until 12 drink until 5. He gave me a list of names to call. On was Bob Kennedy of Kennedy Studios.

Bob Kennedy

Kennedy Studios was on Joy Street on Beacon Hill in an old Horse barn. It was a crazy place 4 brothers and Pop screen printing, stat  machine, picture framing and tourist prints of historic Boston. Bob an I hit it off and he gave me an assignment. This was at the beginning of a personal and business relationship that would last for nearly 15 years. And the partying was endless. We had too much fun.

Marce Mayhew

In 1972 one of The Boys from The Good Ship Linden father was a creative director in a big New York ad agency. Mac made an appointment for me to show his father my book. A year later he gave me a job as assistant art director. Wow. New York. I spent 2 years there studied with Milton Glaser and Chas Slackman at SVA Made several life long friends and drank way over my head. I moved back to Boston rather broke and homeless. Back to Kennedy's back to hustling on my own. The Phoenix was bought by Boston After Dark and The Real Paper was Born

The Real Paper
Ronn Campisi, Lynn Stayley, Marty Linskey, Jim Pavlovitch and Mark Fisher. And the most important Greg Leeds. 
Ronn Campisi noted publication designer was the art director and publication designer.

A maturing generation
A sobering experience

The Real World. 

Geek