Syd Mead: Biography

-Syd Mead : Born Sydney Jay Mead in St. Paul, Minnesota July 18th, 1933 at 4 o'clock AM.. Zodiac sign: Cancer
-Father born 1909 - 1986
-Mother born 1909
-Lived in Sheffield, Iowa.
-1938 moved to Canton, South Dakota so that Father could attend college in nearby Sioux Falls, when he obtained his Bachelar of Fine Arts degree.
-1939 entered first grade
-1942 move to Mason City, Iowa. Started 4th gradeat the Abraham Lincon grade school
-1943 end of grade 5, recieved outstanding student in studies
-1944 move to Colorado where father had been invite to help start a Christian university in Denver
-Went to Gunnison for school
-In seventh grade (12 years old) parents sent to "missionary oriented" school in Calgary, Alberta Canada.
-Questioned the value of formal 'Christian' education back in Gunnison in 8 th grade.
-1948 moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado (now 15 years old)
-Last three years of 'High School' were in Colorado Springs.
-Involved with dramatics (Thespians,) and created and managed decoratoins for two senior proms
-1950 graduated with honours at 17
-First professional art job was at Alexander Film Company doing animation drawings, character design and background art. Was earning more than father.
-After confrontation with parents about 'grown up', move out of house and bought thrid car, all in one busy weekend.
-1953 Volunteered for the draft, and entered Army Corps of Engineers in the summer Basic training at Fort Leonard wood, Missouri
-Served two and a half years at Okinawa, rising ot rank of Sergeant
-1956 discharged in Washington state, flew down to LA and applied for entry to the Art Center School and accepted on first interview
-In summer at Colorado Springs arranging display windows for a clothing store, painting elaborate "flame " patterns on private cars, and own car (a 1952 sedan)
-In fall packed and drove to Los Angelos in three days.
-1959 June, graduated from Art Center School with great disinction, and already employeed by Ford Motor's studios in Dearborn, Michigan.
-Worked for 23 Months. -1961 designed, illustrated and layout for first published book, "Concepts" for US Steel
-With proceeds bought a Mercedes 300SL Gullwing coupe and decided to left Ford
-After offering farwells, drove to downtown Detroit in Gullwing for hiring lunch Topinka's on Grand Blvd.
-Was out of work for 45 mins.
-Was Hired by Hansen Company in Chicago at 3 times the pay at Ford; ($25,000) and unlimited creative freedom
-Over the next Nine years, Created a series of publications for U.S. Steel and many other firms.
-For the Allis Chamlmers Corp, a large equipment manufacturer and technological innovator for new products, did a book entitled "Land of Power", (design, illustration, and layout)
-Celanese Corp. commissioned to design, illustrate and layout a promotional brochure for a new product they offering call "Celcon", new type of super strong plastic
-"Land of Power" and and the other books done during this period are now collector items.
-1964 (age 31) buys house for Parents in San Marcos, California
-In 1966, at age 33, bout three story full basement Norman Tudor style town mansion on a beautiful corner lot in Indian Village, Detriot. (6000 sq feet of space)
-Next nine years to 'fix it up.'
-When done fix it up, California called.
-1970 Syd Mead, Inc. formed as Michigan Corp.
-1975 moved to Southern California, buying a 4 bedroom Condo overlooking Ocean, south of Laguna Beach.
-Syd Mead, Inc. reformed as Califoria Corp.
-1981 Purchased House in Hollywood for business
-1983 Forms Oblagon, Inc.
-1985 Father dies
-1988 Builds Mother new house in Hillsborough, North Carolina
-1990 Buys condo in Hollywood on Gardiner St.
-Today at 59 (In 1992) looks for to many more years of creative excitement