Students' T-Shirts Displayed at Hobie Surf Shop

If you shop at Hobie Surf Shop in Corona del Mar this month, you might notice a special section showcasing the creative designs of three local high school students.

The display carries three T-shirts designed by Corona del Mar High School students Jeff Stein, Taylor Byers and Will Lyle. The students were awarded first through third place, respectively, in a recent T-shirt design competition held by the school's art department in conjunction with Hurley, a local surf and skate clothing brand.   

Nearly 90 students who take computer graphics and digital photography classes at the high school participated in the contest. Teri Brudnak, an art/digital media teacher at the school, said the contest was a great way to help students see beyond high school.

"It gave the students a glimpse of how their talents can extend into a real-world career," she said.

 The students worked on their entries for the contest for about three weeks and drew inspiration from several photographs, including the works of Andy Warhol. Hurley art director Wally Sato also visited some of the classes and explained to students the design process he uses every day at Hurley.

Brudnak said the students were eager to learn and actively expressed their creativity.

"The thing about high school students is they are not afraid to try things," Brudnak explained. "The older we get, the less likely we are to take risks. They have a great deal of creativity, and they are not afraid to use it." 

The T-shirts will be on display at the front of the store through the end of the month. Hobie Surf Shop is at 3140 E. Coast Hwy.