I found these two caricature drawings in with a box of other stuff. They've got to be a couple of years old, I suppose. I really like feel of the lines and shapes. I suppose that is why I hung onto them.
More recently, I caricatured at the Art Institute of Michigan-Detroit's Open House gala. At some gigs, all things come together nicely and I leave feeling pretty good and unapologetic about myself - and my stuff. This was one of them. The situation was perfect (i.e. a party at an art school for pity's sake - how much better than that can you get!). I've gotten to know the AiMD President (Ted Blashak) and the Academic Dean (Marc Sherrod) pretty well - and the rest of the staff - so I felt very comfortable (and welcomed).
And everyone knew what caricatures are and what they aren't.
I remember doing one gig at some big hospital at Christmas time, while at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, a holiday party for surgeons. Early in the evening I did a pretty good caricature of an thin, angular doctor. She wasn't very happy when I gave it to her. And as the evening wore on and as she got drunker, she grew even less pleased. She kept coming back and heckling me and cussing me out. Finally, she rolled up the picture and beat me about the head and shoulders with it. In self-defense, I got marker all over her new, expensive holiday dress. I imagine in the morning when she had sobered up, the marks puzzled her.
Another event was a multi-day deal one of the suburban 'burgh malls - at Horne's. There were several of us, each at a different Horne's. It was all part of a promotional deal for some expensive make-up. If you bought "X" amount of dollars in make-up products, you got a free caricature! Whomever thought up the idea, failed to realize that if you spent that kind of money on make-up, you really wouldn't much appreciate a cartoon that exaggerated your facial features! I think I did two or three caricatures the entire week. But we all got paid regardless. And it paid of my final quarter tuition so I could graduate with my class.
Finally, a few years ago in Ohio, I did two company picnic gigs back-to-back. Both at the same wooded recreational facility. One was in the morning and then the other in the early afternoon. The first was a dry and as boring as dust. It was for some ritzy Law firm - or maybe an Accounting firm. But in either case, everyone was stuffy, dull and bland. They were all ultra-conservative cookie cutters of each other (obligatory golf shirts and khakis and penny loafers). Like "The Firm" meets "The Stepford Wives". Stiffly drinking wine coolers and eating hor'durves. I tried to engage them and joke with them, but they would have none-of-that. I was the hired-help and like their maid or their caddy, I was to be barely tolerated and mostly ignored. Their kids were spoiled and snotty; and everyone was catty to the other and kiss-ass to the boss. I almost got up and left. It was that painful and un-fun.
The second half of the day was terrific! It was the company picnic for a trucking company. Everybody was having a great time, laughing and teasing each other. A real, salt-of-the-earth, red-necked, good-ol'-boys bunch. All fun to draw. Beards, bibs and ball-caps (and those were just the women). Husbands, wives, kids, the boss, truck drivers and mechanics and dispatchers - all enjoyable to be around. I felt much welcomed and very, very comfortable. I was able to joke with them and banter back and forth with the crowd. Everyone encouraged and teased each other about their caricatures. Loud " Lynyrd Skynyrd" and "Black Oak Arkansas" blasted from some pick-em-up truck's 8-track! They made sure I had plenty to eat from their tables and brought me Cokes... some tried to give me tip money.
And the night at AiMD was like that. I was in caricaturist's heaven! I wish I could have gotten copies of the ones that I did. In fact, after drawing a certain one, I told them that if I were to die that night, I would have gone happy and well-satisfied. I've done none better. And that is not to toot my own horn! If was the mix - not me. I can't take any credit. It must be like that for a musician or a stage actor, I suppose. Sometimes it all comes together just right - and it's magic - and I'm in heaven.
One or two, I think, I could do again from memory - they've stuck with me that much. And its been three weeks! Check back and see if I could and have posted them.
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