Several weeks ago, after Bill Shunn posted photos from his Clarion class of 1985 in the wake of Algis Budrys’ death, I bemoaned the fact that—as far as I know—no photos exist from my own Clarion year.

Then I remembered that I do have one image that reflects how I looked as a member of the Clarion class of 1979, but it isn’t a photograph—it’s a portrait done of me by my classmate Barb Rausch.

After Clarion, Barb went on to become a well-known comic-book artist, drawing Katy Keene for Archie and Barbie for Marvel. Unfortunately, Barb passed away in 2001. She’s the only member of my class to have died … I think.

Not only did she draw me at Clarion, Barb also drew on me, as she painted the fake tattoos I sported when I dressed as a Hell’s Angel for our ’60s party.

So—the class of 1985 has photographs, while the class of 1979 has pencil drawings. I guess this means that if we query the class of 1968, we’ll discover that all they have to remember their year are carvings on stone tablets!