While the 4ever11 logo itself was designed by another graphic artist, Colin McConnell immortalized it by capturing it with his signature duct tape art medium. Colin was specifically commissioned by the 4ever11 Founder, Brian Winter, to create this signature piece, and it is proudly on display in the 4ever11 headquarters in Detroit, MI. Colin's involvement with 4ever11 stems from the fact that Colin and Brian graduated together in 1993 from Troy Athens High School (located in Troy, MI). However, the real story of how Colin and Brian's friendship came to be is much richer and deeper than simply "they went to high school together." The real story involves breakdancing, a gym class full of sophomore girls, House of Pain's smash hit "Jump Around," and a lip sync contest performance that rivaled Milli Vanilli, and now that story is published here for the first time on 4ever11... On a dreadfully, sweltering Tuesday afternoon in August of 1992, while sitting in an "elective" English Language Arts class entitled, "Mystery, Suspense, and Horror," Brian came to the poignant realization that the real source of "horror" in this class was listening to the teacher drone on-and-on about how spine-tingling chilling, Bela Lugosi's performance was in the 1931 film debut of Bram Stoker's, Dracula. SOMETHING had to change, and it started with a trip to the counselor's office to request a schedule change. Sitting in the counselor's office, Brian begged for a schedule change... Brian: PLEASE!!! Give me ANY other class than this "Mystery, Suspense, & Horror" - crap! I'll even take French 4! Counselor: But, you haven't taken French 3... or 2... or even 1, for that matter?! Brian: I don't care. I'll figure it out. Even French 4 would be better than that Mystery, Suspense, & Horror class. Counselor: Ok, ok, you're really serious about this... Brian: [Ya, think?!?!?] Counselor: Is it really that bad, though?? Brian: [No comment other than an emotionless, death stare that only Frankenstein could (and maybe Lurch from the Addam's Family) could deliver better.] Counselor: Alright, enough said... er, well, I guess "not said," but point taken. Ok, let's see what options we have open this period for a different class... [Staring at the monochromatic computer monitor] Hmmm, well Brian, there's not a lot to choose from here. It looks like it's either an Art class or a Gym class. Brian: Oh, perfect! That's easy, because I'm not a fan of creating art, and I love sports!! Counselor: Well, not so fast... This isn't quite your average, ordinary, everyday gym class... It's Tumbling 1, and it's pretty much chock full of sophomore girls. Brian: Tumbling?! What's that?! It sounds more like anti-athletics!! I'm a starting attacker on the Varsity Soccer Team and I literally pride myself on "NOT tumbling" while my opponents attempt to take my feet out from under me on a breakaway, scoring opportunity. So, what does one do in "tumbling?!" Is this like you practice falling, but try to make it look graceful, like "oh, I TOTALLY meant to do that?!" Counselor: Ha ha ha, no no no, tumbling is like a form of gymnastics. Brian: Really?! [Processing.] But, when I think of gymnastics, it seems the goal of the whole sport is to "stay on the balance beam, stay on the bars, etc., etc., etc." I've never seen anybody tumble and then high-five their teammates like, "Dude, did you see that spill?! That was totally sweet!" Once again, they are very specifically trying to "NOT tumble." Counselor: Alright, look here, Brian... I'm not terribly well-versed on the historical context of how "tumbling" became a universal reference for modern day gymnastics. But, it did. I also am not the person that titled the class. I am, however, the person that can reiterate that you have three choices: Art, "Tumbling," or sticking with Mystery, Suspense & Horror. Brian: [Delivering an encore of the Frankenstein/Lurch Death Stare]... Ugh, I really don't like art, though... [PAUSE: It's really worth pointing out, at this particular moment, that while Brian spent his ignorant adolescence completely void of an appreciation for art, he was unwittingly on an invisible trajectory to launch an audacious project, 30 years later, whose mission was to lift-up artists and bring the world "Real Art by Real People" against a backdrop of Artificial Intelligence redefining nearly every aspect of humanity, even art.] Brian: So, I guess "Tumbling it is!" The following afternoon was Day 1 of Tumbling, and Brian's counselor was not lying... Upon entering the gym, 29 sophomore girls stared in shock and awe, quickly followed by hand-covered, ear-whispers, undoubtedly full of variations of the same comment... "No way! Isn't he a Senior?!?!?! What is HE doing HERE?!" As Brian stared around the room, simultaneously thinking to himself, "oh, Dear God, what did I get myself into?," he locked eyes (followed by a 90's style head-nod) with a familiar face... Colin McConnel. What transpired from that moment on, can only be described as LEGENDARY! [Well, at least by suburban high school standards in the 1990s anyway.] Over the course of the next 4 ½ months, Brian and Colin formed an enduring bond, centered around tumbling and other gymnastics. Although the content of course started slow with summersaults, cartwheels, and roundoffs, more advanced stunts like back handsprings, back tucks, front tucks, and even twists entered the scene. By the end of the 1st Semester, Colin and Brian thought they had “learned it all” in Tumbling 1. But, they were pleased to learn that this journey didn’t necessarily need to come to an end… That’s because they discovered there was a “Tumbling 2” course offered in the 2nd semester. The decision for Colin and Brian to sign-up of Tumbling 2 consisted of a simple question (“Whatta ya think?”), a shoulder shrug, and an even simpler response (“Sure.”) But what Colin and Brian didn’t know at the time was how “Protesto” (a male, sophomore, transfer student from California) was about to elevate Colin and Brian’s “game” to unimaginable levels. While Protesto was a meek and humble individual, he was also something else… a World-Class Break-dancer! Once the teacher became aware of Protesto’s amazing talent, she permitted the now, three boys to modify “Tumbling 2” in more of an independent study in modern, aerobatic dance (heavily influenced by the breakdancing of the 1980s). What eventually came out of this unusual experiment was a plethora of partner-based flips, spin moves, seemingly gravity defying maneuvers, running up walls straight into a black flips, and more. It’s probably safe to say the boys’ activities exceed the extent of the school districts’ liability insurance coverage, but that didn’t slow them down. Besides performing some amazing stunts and maneuvers between 9:11am and 10:04am, five days per week, this is NOT where this story ends. There’s only one more level above “amazing,” and that’s LEGENDARY. With high school graduation a mere 4 weeks away for Colin and Brian, it was announced that the Senior All Night Party (a fun, right of passage event, hosted at the high school on the night of the graduation ceremony) would include a lip sync contest. The very best musical entertainers, whether they’re playing an instrument, singing, or in this case lip synching, know that it’s not just any one aspect that makes a show truly entertaining. If you want to fully mesmerize your audience, you’ve got to have the whole package, “song AND dance” if you will. Colin and Brian knew virtually anyone in their graduating class could bring the “song” (lip synch) aspect, but nobody could bring the “DANCE” the way they could. So, with Protesto as their technical choreographer and advisor, and Colin and Brian adding their own stage presence, a legendary lip sync performance to House of Pain's smash hit "Jump Around” was in the works. And late in the evening, on June 12 1993, Colin and Brian would deliver an unforgettable performance that rocked the house and is still talked about to this day at nearly every “10 year” graduation anniversary-reunion. But the most part of the whole experience is not actually the tumbling, or the breakdancing, or the sophomore girls, or even the final, lip synch performance. The most beautiful part of the experience is how it cemented a friendship in Colin and Brian to this day that has ultimately led to the creation of this entire 4ever11 NFT Art Project. In addition to Brian’s daughter, Madison, Colin was the other artist that inspired Brian to take on this audacious project. And Colin, nor Brian, wouldn’t want it any other way.