I first met Art in 1980 at California Silkscreen in Gardena.

We worked together designing and printing t-shirts and stickers for the surf industry.

In between our food truck burritos and mixed-plate lunches, we would call up KNAC, a local radio station, and we would win concert tickets!

We got to see New Wave bands together like The Blasters and Depeche Mode.

Art loved everyone – and everyone loved Art.

He was known by many names: Arthur, Arturo, Art, Art-E and Art-E-gator.

Art was equally comfortable speaking Spanish to co-workers, Japanese to clients, and was fluent in both OC Surfer and LA Street Jive.

And because of his natural charm and ease with everyone he met, he had friends from all over – Orange County, LA and later, the Bay Area.

Art loved to tell stories.

Here are a couple that involved me:

Story Number 1:

One year, our boss got us tickets to Oahu.

We were booked to stay at that famous pink hotel in Waikiki, The Royal Hawaiian.

But before we got there, Art wanted to visit his mainland friend in Kaneohe.

His buddy ended up snoozing through our many knocks on his front door.

It was getting dark, so instead of heading back to Waikiki, we ended up spending our first night in Hawaii. In a rental car. In the rain. With a bunch of hungry mosquitos.

DUUUDE.

Story Number 2:

Back in the day, 18 was the legal age to drink alcohol in Hawaii.

Art, already 21, wanted me to experience buying my first six-pack of beer.

Well, we drank and partied so much that I spent the entire evening throwing up – (from both ends!)

And like Kramer in Seinfeld, Art would burst through the bathroom door, take one look at my very unpleasant situation and exclaim:

“DUUUDE – you exploded!”

Looking back, I think Art and I connected because we had so much in common:

We were both Japanese-American. We both came from a single-parent household. We both loved electronic bands – like Kraftwerk, The Human League and OMD.

We both loved surf culture. We both attended college for graphic design and… we both ended up being art directors in the music industry.

Art wanted everyone to be happy.

I always felt that Art, like many of us, was someone who in his childhood, had experienced much pain and heartbreak.

Because of that, he apparently made it his mission – that everyone around him was happy and having a good time.

Wherever he is now, I imagine him flashing that big smile of his – and exclaiming – “DUUUDE!”

Rest in peace, Art. I love you and I miss you.