John Upton chaired an incredible and diverse program at Orange Coast College that served both the fine arts and commercial worlds. Along with the faculty of Steadry, Taussig, Slosberg, Kasten and others, students were challenged and inspired to push well beyond their comfort zones. That the department remains so strong and vital today is a testament to John and the other faculty members who built a two year program to be superior to many four year universities.

very true. i was a student there in the early seventies and had a year independent study with John. He and Arthur were amazing people to know and to work with. Their backgrounds and experience and interests and degrees were so diverse. And they moved in all of these realms at once. They did not limit themselves, but rather cross-fertilized. It was a magical time in my life. John talked about Minor, and it is a legacy that he passed on to all of his students, including Arthur, who was very inspirational in a similar way. It's good to know that the program continues at OCC. It could have become a technical college response to photographic training, but they continued Minor's legacy and insisted on more. Thank you John. You touched many lives. Your work is amazing and lives on. Bravo.