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2024 Cartoonist Convention

Montreal recently hosted a dynamic convention that brought together cartoonists, scholars, and enthusiasts, and I was fortunate enough to attend. For a profession full of hired cynics, these gatherings have a way of inspiring and energizing even the most jaded minds. The atmosphere of shared experiences and creative exchange can be a rare boost for those of us who often take a critical lens to the world. It was a joint convention of the American Association of Editorial Cartooning and the Association for Canadian Cartooning.

One of the first opening acts of the gathering was to pay tribute to two dearly departed colleagues and loving friends, Pascal Elie of Montreal, QC, and Ed Hall of Jacksonville, Florida.

Christian Vachon, the head curator of the McCord Museum, opened the sessions with an insightful talk on the origins of Uncle Sam, drawing from a range of historical sources preserved in the museum’s archives. When an American attendee inquired about Uncle Sam’s inspiration, Christian responded with impressive scholarly depth. The figure dates back to the War of 1812, when Samuel Wilson, a meat packer from Troy, New York, supplied beef to the U.S. Army. The barrels were stamped “U.S.” for “United States,” but soldiers jokingly called them “Uncle Sam’s.” This playful nickname evolved into the iconic symbol of American patriotism and government, especially in times of conflict and national unity.

Repurposing the Great Wave off Kanagawa (with apologies to Katsushika Hokusai)

Next up was yours truly. For those familiar with my work, you’ll know the twists and turns my March 11, 2020, editorial cartoon has taken over the years. This was finally a chance to present that journey to a room of like-minded professionals, many of whom know all too well the precarious fate of their intellectual property. We willingly release our creations into the chaotic, unregulated world of the Internet, where viral success often means a higher risk of being misappropriated by pirates and bad actors, who chop up and repurpose our work into unethical memes and adaptations. — The presentation went way better than expected. It was a pleasure hearing feedback from respected colleagues who hadn’t known the full history behind my piece. Much laughter followed as we continued the conversations into the night at the local bars. Mike Peterson writes about it in the Daily Cartoonist.

Following me was Quebec’s superstar editorial cartoonist, Serge Chapeau of La Presse. At 77, he still produces five cartoons a week for Montreal readers. He told me it’s easier now compared to the earlier years when he was juggling his La Presse work with a weekly puppet show for Radio-Canada. That show, Ici LaFlaque, was a hit in the late ’90s and 2000s, running until the 2010s. During his presentation, Serge showcased some of his finest works, from his bold (errr stiff) portrayals of President Clinton to the current political spectacle involving Trump, Harris, and the U.S. presidential race.

Next on stage, under the panel titled “Warning: Graphic Content,” were two giants of U.S. editorial cartooning: Rob Rogers and Dwayne Booth, a.k.a. Mr. Fish. Rob, formerly with the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, was abruptly fired by new management for his satirical take on Trump. His presentation featured both his celebrated classics and the controversial cartoons that ultimately cost him his job. He was joined by Dwayne Booth, who moonlights as a professor at the Annenberg School for Communications at the University of Pennsylvania. While teaching pays the bills, his razor-sharp satire regularly sparks controversy and even calls for his removal from academia.

The closer for the day was former Montrealer and now New York-based illustrator Barry Blitt, making a return to our joint convention of cartoonist associations. He last graced our event in 2012, dazzling us with a projection of his now-famous New Yorker magazine cover depicting the Obamas fist-bumping in the Oval Office. This time around, he treated us to an update on the comedic landscape of the U.S. presidency.

Michael de Adder and Wes Tyrell

After a packed afternoon of fantastic cartoon presentations, we headed to Montreal’s bars and restaurants. It was a joy catching up with familiar faces from Canada’s editorial cartooning scene—stalwarts who defy the passage of time and still manage to stay out late into the night, exchanging stories. Dependable as always were Wes Tyrell, Michael de Adder, Dale Cummings, Sue Dewar and her husband Don, along with Guy Badeaux (later joined by Sylvie,) keeping the conversation going into the early hours. And although he travelled all the way from New Zealand for the convention, Rod Emmerson—crowned an honourary Canuck with the Gable Award last year when some of us Canadians gathered in San Francisco—has become such a regular presence at these events that he’s more consistent than a few of our domestic colleagues who, for whatever reason, long ago stopped attending these wonderful, tax-deductible festivals of our craft. Their loss, I say!

A big shout-out to my close Ontario colleague, Gareth Lind from Guelph, who was my guide and inspiration in navigating Montreal using the city’s excellent bike hire system and bike paths. The monthly pass, at $22, saved me plenty of time and money—not to mention the feel-good factor of using a sustainable mode of transportation in a bustling North American city. I’ve known Gareth for his brilliant political cartoon strips from the alt-weeklies of Toronto in the 1990s, and I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek at the new graphic novel he’s been working on for years, which he’s now close to securing a publisher for.

Shout-outs also go to Scott Johnson, Brian Gable, Tony Jenkins, Andy Donato, and his wife Diane, who all did Ontario proud with their presence.

Jacques Goldstyn, aka Boris

Quebec also came through with a strong contingent of cartoonists and enthusiasts. The godfather of Canadian cartooning, Terry (Aislin) Mosher, was ever-present, complete with ring-kissing rituals. It was a real pleasure, though, to finally meet his colleague from The Gazette, Jacques Goldstyn, who works under the alias “Boris.” We shared a bite together during the lunch break between Friday’s panel sessions.

Jacques, known more for his children’s books than his satire, has a distinctly subversive edge to his cartoons. When he presented a particular drawing from his private collection on the Charlie Hebdo massacre, a few attendees passionate about free expression audibly expressed discomfort with the content. One even walked out in protest after questioning why he had shown it, while another later told me they regretted not holding their tongue. The irony wasn’t lost on others, who pointed out that the boundaries of free expression should be limitless—unless, of course, it affects the personal feelings of the very people who advocate for it. Mike Peterson writes about it, including the offending cartoon, in the Daily Cartoonist.

Marc Beaudet and Pierre Skilling

A shout-out to the always affable Marc Beaudet, whom I hadn’t seen since the Havana conference 10 years ago. He was the latest recipient of the Townsie Award in the French language category—more on that in a bit.

I was also happy to reconnect with Robert LaFontaine, whom I hadn’t seen in years since his days running the caricature festival in Val-David, Quebec, as well as Pierre Skilling, another wise figure from La Belle Province who made the trip down from Quebec City.

Lastly, I want to welcome newcomer Jeff McIntyre to the Canadian association. He has ambitious plans for an upcoming graphic novel, and it’s always encouraging to see fresh talent joining our ranks. Our craft is in desperate need of new blood, and I’m eager to see how his project develops.

My own marital quarrel cartoon sneaked in!

On the second day of our gathering, we were treated to presentations by the superheroes of cartoon history and archives, alongside a strong force of American talent that had made the trip to Montreal. As is often the case in niche fields of academia, those who delve deep into obscure areas of history are under-appreciated for their hard work. Sadly, that lack of recognition translates into less funding, poor preservation efforts, and limited awareness of essential democratic foundations like satire. This panel, hosted by Quebec historiography of art professor Dominic Hardy, was mostly women scholars—Marie Laurelliard, Audrey Sainte-Jean, Cristina Martinez, and Ann Trepannier—joined by U.S. archivist Jenny Robb from the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum. Together, they explored cartoons leading up to Confederation and the familiar gag of marital strife symbolizing the tension between English and French Canada. Notably, one of my own cartoons was included in the slides.

Marriage-a-la-merde

Their presentations also spotlighted early women printers and cartoonists like Raoul Barré and Albéric Bourgeois. A key discussion point was the challenge of preservation and digitization, with institutions struggling to set consistent standards. As someone who has donated physical copies of my cartoons, I can’t help but notice the lack of a universal approach to handling digital cartoons. While I wait for clarity on this, it’s evident that other archives seem ahead of the curve. At the end of the session, I took a moment to thank the academics for their under-appreciated work in preserving the craft. As the saying goes, those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. I’d add to that: “Those who cannot discern truth in satire are destined to wander in the shadows of deception.” Increasingly, editors seem blind to satire’s importance, favouring cartoons that are “balanced” or non-controversial over the political and provocative. More reflection on the role of editorial cartoons in the past and the free expression they fostered is urgently needed.

DONATE to Cartoonists Rights

No AAEC convention is complete without acknowledging the vital work of NGOs that advocate for cartoonists facing repression. Cartoonists Rights (formerly Cartoonists Rights Network International) has partnered with the Freedom Cartoonists Foundation to highlight the challenges posed by state censorship, online abuse, and criminalization. Matt Wuerker and Pat Chappatte spoke about the Courage in Cartooning Awards, which were recently presented to Zunzi and Rachita Taneja. However, the focus was also on three other cartoonists in danger: Atena Farghadani of Iran, facing six years of imprisonment; Ashraf Omar of Egypt, arrested and reportedly subjected to violence and torture for his drawings; and Zehra Ömeroğlu, pursued on dubious obscenity charges in Turkey while studying in Germany. There is an urgent appeal to raise awareness and donations at cartoonistsrights.org/donate.

By Steve Brodner

We were then treated to slideshows from a few more renowned American cartoonists. Steve Brodner made a reappearance after last year’s workshop in San Francisco, where he challenged attendees’ long-held drawing habits. This year, he showcased his own brilliant work, including a recent masterpiece for The Washington Post, depicting 117 members of Congress running for re-election in 2024—all of whom supported the objection to counting Joe Biden’s electoral votes in 2020.

Jack Ohman & Joel Pett

Next was a great conversation between former editorial cartoonist Joel Pett, who once worked at the Lexington Herald, and outgoing AAEC president Jack Ohman. Sadly, Pett and Ohman were two of three Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonists who lost their jobs on the same day, victims of layoffs by their McClatchy publishing overlords. The third, Kevin Siers, did not attend this convention. Pett recalled how his editor worried about the potential protests that might arise from publishing inflammatory editorial cartoons, a sign of the growing unease in the industry.

Lalo Alcaraz – LA Olympics

The final presentation of the day came from Lalo Alcaraz, who flew in for an overnighter after attending a César Chávez celebration in the California mountains. Alcaraz, best known for his Latino-themed cartoon strip La Cucaracha, is an award-winning cartoonist, animator, and activist. He shared the exciting news of his recent hire as a staff cartoonist for CALO News LA—a rare feat in this century! His presence and story served as a fitting close to a remarkable day of presentations.

Clay Jones of Virginia never stops drawing, until it’s pub time

And with that, a packed schedule of fantastic presentations came to a close. The final reception was dedicated to honouring our own, and, as always, the Americans led the way in celebrating the craft. Dennis Draughon was awarded the prestigious Rex Babin Award for local cartooning. Under Wes Tyrell’s leadership, recognizing and celebrating individual cartoonists and the friends of our association has become a true passion. Free from the bureaucratic panels of journalists or the whims of city newspapers deciding who wins the National Newspaper Award or gets a shiny medal, the Townsie Award stands out. It recognizes those who truly deserve the spotlight, and this year, that honour went to the remarkable Sue Dewar.

The Gable Prize, awarded to non-Canadians, was humorously dubbed the “Honourary Canuck Award” by President Wes Tyrell. He once quipped that it goes to those “who love Canadians almost as much as Canadian cartoonists love themselves.” This year’s Gable went to Scott Burns, AAEC’s legal adviser and Parliamentarian, who shared the award with his sister Mary Ellen. Both have been tireless volunteers for conventions dating back years. A special Golden Gable Award was also presented to Christian Vachon from the McCord Museum, recognizing his significant contributions to cartoonists and the craft as a whole.

Family photo

With that, the 2024 convention wrapped up. Nearly 70 people attended in total, with another 30 or so joining as volunteers, spouses, partners, children, and guests, pushing the numbers to over 100. Despite the gloomy decline of newspapers, the art of editorial cartooning endures. While the next convention may seem a long way off, wherever it may be, it will happen—and rest assured, I’ll be there.

 

Here’s some of my reflections on past gatherings:

AAEC 2024, San Francisco, California

AAEC 2018, Sacramento, California

ACC 2016, Toronto, Ontario

ACC 2014, Havana, Cuba

ACEC 2010, Hamilton, Ontario

ACEC 2008, Banff, Alberta

AAEC 2007, Washington DC

Sunday October 15, 2023


Finally, Some Cartoonist Convention Time

It comes as no surprise to anyone who’s been paying attention that certain simple everyday pleasures we once took for granted have now become extinct relics of the past. The print edition of newspapers has been on this decline for years, resembling a slowly draining bathtub that eventually spirals into the abyss. As the last drops of this once-thriving industry slip away into the sewer, thousands of dedicated newspaper professionals find themselves in the throes of a livelihood crisis that has become all too familiar.

Better times, bigger staff, at 44 Frid

For the fortunate few of us who remain in this business, we’re acutely aware of the inevitable outcome we face. For decades, newspaper magnates grappled with the challenge of adapting to the internet era, knowing that it would catapult us into the future, leaving traditional print media behind, much like horse-drawn carriages of old. They had three decades to craft a successful transition to the digital realm that would persuade owners, shareholders, advertisers, and readers to embrace a virtual product superior to the physical paper.

Despite promises of cutting-edge websites, millions poured into computerized cross-media publishing systems, metrics for tracking web traffic, and enhancements like video content and the ever-loved pop-up ads (note the sarcasm), the average daily newspaper website seemed to dazzle only its creators – a trend that continues to this day. Unless it’s one of the international media giants with the resources to invest heavily in state-of-the-art technology and employ well-compensated journalists to create engaging and insightful content, subscribers are likely to face the same frustrations with regional daily websites. Expect the predictability of clunky interfaces where ancient news articles bury the latest content, or the enduring annoyance of resetting passwords for reasons unknown.

If you attempt to seek human assistance, prepare to be greeted with frustration – endless canned instrumental music and a robotic voice informing you that “there are zero customers ahead of you in the queue.”

My last day before the building closed

Just a few weeks ago, my local newspaper, The Hamilton Spectator, closed its physical office after 177 years of operation. While we still deliver daily news both in print and online, our staff now operates primarily in the virtual realm. We attempt to replicate the camaraderie and collaboration of a traditional newsroom by gathering in a public space once a week. However, the pandemic, beginning in March 2020, forced us out of our office on Frid Street.

For 23 years, I created my editorial cartoons within the confines of our physical office. I had the opportunity to engage in conversations with reporters covering city hall, sports, education, health, and transit. I attended editorial board meetings with mayoral candidates, premiers, ministers, and influential figures in the community. All of that is now a thing of the past.

Despite various attempts to support the struggling newspaper industry and engage in battles with tech giants over compensating news sources on social media platforms, it’s clear that we are witnessing the final days of the physical newspaper.

Retirement caricatures of the Spec’s photo team, Barry Gray, Scott Gardner, John Rennison, Gary Yokoyama. Photo by Cathie Coward, the Spec’s only remaining photographer.

But alas, we adapt, holding our heads high and thinking beyond the dark clouds above us. For years I’ve been attending gatherings of editorial cartoonists throughout Canada and the United States. These events are where I go to review with colleagues the good and bad developments of our times, to learn, and re-energize. There is no other better venue for such a tiny group of folks with similar passions and livelihoods to gather and celebrate.  This very website has chronicled so many of them going back in time: Sacramento 2018, Toronto 2016, Havana 2014, Hamilton 2010, Banff 2008, Washington DC 2007, and this gathering in 2023, despite missing some old familiar friends and faces was robust in numbers giving the sense that editorial cartooning is alive and well despite the challenges. This convention was perhaps my most therapeutic professional gathering ever. 

I went on a trip to California from October 7th to October 12th, 2023, to attend my first Editorial Cartoonist convention in five years. On Thursday morning, I arrived in San Francisco around noon to attend the 2023 convention of the American Association of Editorial Cartoonists in combination with the Association of Canadian Cartoonists.

Me, Terry “Aislin” Mosher, Rod Emerson, Guy “Bado” Badeaux; Photo by Brian Gable

My tribute to the great Brian Gable, in James Gillray style

I was on the same flight out of Toronto with Terry Mosher, Brian Gable, and ACC President Wes Tyrell. The four of us shared a cab into the city and dropped off our bags at the hotel before the check-in time at 3pm. The recently retired Globe & Mail editorial cartoonist Brian Gable and I decided to have a dim sum lunch in Chinatown. We walked along Grant Ave, tried some delicious soup dumplings, won tons, and spring rolls. As we continued walking, we passed through Chinatown and reached a big Catholic cathedral, Saints Peter ann Paul Church and a lovely Washington Square in front of it. We also got to see Blue Angel fighter jets practicing for the weekend air show. The weather was surprisingly hot, with temperatures reaching 90 degrees Fahrenheit and clear skies. We headed back towards the hotel, exploring the streets and enjoying the sight of cable cars. In the evening, there was a reception at the hotel where I had nice conversations with several talented people, including Wes Rowell, Paul Berge, Ted Rall, Jack Ohman, and Guy Badeaux, among others.

Me at the Monticello Winery, Napa

On Friday, I spent most of the day on a Napa wine tour from 9am to 5:30pm. We made a stop at the Golden Gate Bridge to take some pictures. I was accompanied by Marci Brane and Sarah Alex from the Herb Block Foundation, cartoonist David G. Brown, Paul Berge with Chris Pierangeli, Deb Milbrath with David “Wing” Bruce, and Mike Sicilia, our guide, and an old friend of Jack Ohman who I first met in Sacramento in 2018, and who I now call a friend. We drove along the El Camino real road through Sonoma and our first stop was Beringer winery, which is known as the oldest continuously operating winery in the Napa Valley. We had an outdoor wine tasting of three of their wines and enjoyed a splendid charcuterie platter. After that, we went to the Oxbow Public Market in Napa for lunch, where we chose to have Mexican food with the Herblock team, Mike, and David. Our final winery was Monticello, where we visited their storage facility and had several wine tastings. We then headed back to San Francisco, which took about an hour and a half. I had expected Napa to be more visually appealing, but the dry fields of beige grass were quite overwhelming. If I had to choose, I would say that the Niagara region, despite not having the selection of quality wines that Napa boasts, definitely has more attractive vineyard surroundings. We were dropped off near the Cartoon museum for the Friday meet and greet, where I had the opportunity to chat with several talented cartoonists, including Ben Sargent, Steve Stegelin, Dale Cummings, Tim Campbell, Jeff Bell, Rod Emmerson, Daryl Cagle, Jack Ohman, Matt Davies, Ann Telnaes, Steve Greenberg, and Matt Wuerker. Jack Ohman welcomed us and spoke briefly, passionately, and as always eloquently, about the challenges faced by the print media. We continued the evening with beers at the Irish Bank pub behind our hotel, the Triton.

Saturday was our panel day. I started the day by taking a 5km walk to the higher points near the hotel, capturing some beautiful photos of the city under a cloudless sky with warm temperatures. I arrived a bit late to the panel discussions and missed the presentation on Mosher’s COVID book and the proposal by Christian Vachon to hold the next gathering in Montreal. However, I did get to listen to a fascinating talk by feminist cartoonist Trina Robbins about her long career. She was a pioneer for women in cartooning and bravely challenged the male-dominated industry.

From Trina Robbin’s presentation

Her presentation was followed by an inspiring workshop by the great illustrator Steve Brodner, who discussed different approaches to caricature. He emphasized the importance of making our work matter and fighting against oppressive forces and biased editorial practices. During the intermission, I had a great conversation with Steve Breen, the long-term cartoonist at the San Diego Tribune, who shared valuable tips on connecting with fans for future newsletters and subscription services. Too brief a time was spent chatting with and praising my new favourite editorial cartoonist, Ed Wexler. The day continued with a fun presentation by Kevin “KAL” Kallaugher, featuring several artists doing unique things outside of their regular editorial cartooning gigs. We then had some free time to explore around the hotel, and some of us went back to the Irish pub or looked for a pharmacy with Wes, Guy, Dale, and Eric Shansby.

Wes Tyrell and Brian Gable announce the honourary Canuck award to Rod Emerson

Chinatown dinner L-R: Russ Hodin, Steve Stegelin, Mark Fiore, Jack Ohman; Kevin (KAL) Kallaugher, me, Nick Anderson, Matt Davies, Ben Sargent and David G. Brown

The Saturday reception took place at the Book Club. Plaques were given out for the Rex Babin award for local cartooning, which went to Joel Pett. Inkspot recognitions were also awarded to organizer Mary Ellen Burns and cartoonist writers Mike Peterson and Alan Gardner – Find Mike’s own, much more thorough summary of the convention here. Our Canadian contingent recognized Guy Badeaux and Dale Cummings with the Townsie awards, and the Honorary Canuck award went to Rod Emmerson from New Zealand. For dinner that night, I had the pleasure of dining with Nick Anderson, Matt Davies, Ben Sargent, David Browne, Steve Stegelin, and Russ Hodin. We were joined by Jack Ohman, Mark Fiore, Kevin Kallaugher, and Matt Wuerker.

Sunday started with a breakfast hosted by Scott Burns. I had the opportunity to sit next to Clay Jones and across from John Auchter and David Brown. Later on, we were joined by Cullum Rogers, whose charming North Carolina accent became a source of endearment for the rest of our trip.

We said goodbye to our colleagues and stored our bags in Rod Emerson’s room before heading to the Presidio to catch the air show and visit the Walt Disney family museum (my Google review.) The museum showcases the evolution of Walt Disney, Mickey Mouse, and other Disney characters, as well as the technology used in cell animation films. We also enjoyed exhibits on Disney’s amusement park and a display of editorial cartoons marking Walt Disney’s death. Outside the museum, we watched the blue angels perform in the foggy sky over the Pacific.

Wes Tyrell and I at Pigeon Point, California

At 4:00, Wes and I picked up our rental car from the airport after returning to the hotel to retrieve our bags. Thanks to Mary Ellen Burns and her crew of volunteers, Larry and Rick, we had transportation arranged. We drove north over the Golden Gate Bridge, stopping briefly, before having a delicious bbq dinner at Wes’ very cool friend Elijah’s house in San Raphael. The next morning, we had coffee with Elijah and went for a climbing hike before brunch in Fairfax. We explored the redwood trees at Samuel P. Taylor State Park and continued towards the coast through Point Reyes. The dreary rain changed our plans at Bodega Bay, so we headed inland and stayed overnight at a cozy Marriott in Santa Rosa, enjoying delicious Thai cuisine. The Charles Schulz Museum shuttered until Thursday – boo. Our journey took us to Stinson Beach, where we had a laugh at Wes’ expense (after leaving his jacket and passport back in the Marin Lodge) (my Google Review) and met a balloon artist from Wales. After returning to Fairfax to meet Mark Fiore, we decided to head south to Half Moon Bay, where we stayed at the Half Moon Bay lodge (my Google review) and dined at Cameron’s British Pub (my Google review.) We had a pleasant night and I took advantage of the heated pool and jacuzzi in the morning. Before departing, we enjoyed breakfast and continued our drive along Highway 1, stopping at Pigeon Point Lighthouse for some photos.

The gathering of editorial cartoonists in San Francisco was an invigorating experience. We engaged in lively discussions about the art of cartooning, shared our experiences, and gained insights into the influential role of political cartoons in shaping public opinion. We also addressed the challenges in today’s ever-changing media landscape.

Our collective exploration of art for social commentary and activism was set against the backdrop of San Francisco’s beauty. Even amidst our road trip with Wes Tyrell, we found moments of serenity in nature, though the weight of conflicts in Ukraine and the ongoing Israel-Hamas strife loomed large. Yet, as a community, we remain resolute, rising above the darkness and looking to the future with unwavering determination.

Santa Rosa to Santa Cruz: Our road tripo
John Auchter, Me, Maryellen Burns, David G. Burns
Me and the great Scott Burns
Blue Angels practice over God
Trito Hotel meet and greet
Golden Gate Bridge
Me and Guy
Spectacular views and spectacular weather
Canadian delegation talks business at the Irish Bank
Me, the always entertaining Eric Shansby, and Wes Tyrell
Me with heart in Union Square
Me and our host, President Jack Ohman
Cable car!
Me with David Brown, John Auchter, Scott Burns, and Cullum Rogers
Me, Cullum, Wes getting maudlin at the Walt Disney obit cartoons exhibit
Wes in the cactus
New age time at Elijah’s place, San Raphael
Redwood Trees next to Wes
Wes takes a break in Larspur, CA
Me and Wes catch up with Mark Fiore in Fairfax
At Half Moon Bay Lodge
Gorgeous Pigeon Point

 

#ACC2016 Convention Review

ACC2016-baseball

 

As conventions come and go it’s nice to take stock and review the highlights of such events. This past weekend’s gathering of the Association of Canadian Cartoonists in Toronto was packed full of great venues and intriguing discussions. Tip of the hat goes to Wes Tyrell, whose energy and passion fuelled the conference like no other before this. Here are some of the sights and delights of #ACC2016.

Ryerson University

Photo by Nik Kowsar

Gathering with cartoonists and willingly herding ourselves into classrooms should go quite counter to our very beings. Doubly amazing is the fact that even with a table full of Tim Horton’s coffee and baked items in the back of the classroom, nary a trouble maker abandoned themselves from the stimulating talks to linger around near the exit. During the Friday sessions we were updated by free expression champions CNRI Dan Murphy, crocodile Nik Kowsar, and No-Fly Shahid Mahmood. Preservation superhero Christian Vachon reported on the repatriation chronology of a hoard of Duncan MacPherson cartoons from an American college to the permanent collection of the McCord Gallery in Montreal. Robert LaFontaine extolled the virtues of Quebec’s 1001 Visage Caricature festival, which won over the crowd, and will play host to the next gathering of the ACC in 2018.

Beginning the Saturday morning session a passionate trio of fine art scholars, Josée Desforges, Julie-Anne Godin-Laverdiere, Nancy Perron Rogers, and Professor Dominic Hardy of UQAM dove into a facsinating presentation on Quebec illustration, and in particular, how art influences cartoons.  One of the students recalled the time in 1965, when a Department Store donated to a Montreal shopping centre an exact replica of Michelangelo‘s Statue of David. There was a public outcry from some people, and a public debate ensued about the appropriateness of such a display of male nudity in a shopping plaza. Veteran Toronto cartoonist Mike Constable made a rare appearance and showed off some of his quirky digital animations. Philip Burke took to the stage after a slick short documentary of his life made its debut. The amazing Buffalo born illustrator whose art has graced Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, and Time, to name a few answered a few questions in advance of his afternoon live painting at the Bedford Academy (see below). Ann Telnaes of the Washington Post and Jack (P-word) Ohman of the Sacromento Bee showed their work reflecting the state of U.S. politics with everything Donald Trump, and presented some of their animations. Jack’s very personal long form comic strip chronicled his dad’s final years and left many eyes in the room wet.

My little YouTube Movie “The Life of An Editorial Cartoonist” made this venue its world public premiere

And this delightful video by the wonderful and clever Dan Murphy, made its debut,

Zoomer Studios, Liberty Village

Friday afternoon was spent at Moses Znaimer‘s Zoomerplex in the west end where the topic of editorial cartoonists and the work that we do was featured for an upcoming issue. The show was moderated by Faith Goldy, peppered with the commentary of her sidekick, and longtime target of satire, Lord Conrad Black, Baron of Crossharbour. Pictured below at the Zoomer roundtable are L-R: Sue Dewar (Toronto Sun), Conrad Black, Terry Mosher (Montreal Gazette), Faith Goldy, Wes Tyrell (Zoomer Mag & ACC President), Michael de Adder (Halifax Chronicle Herald), Andy Donato (Toronto Sun), and Malcolm Mayes (Edmonton Journal). A game of musical chairs happened in-between ads when visiting U.S. cartoonists, Jack Ohman (Sacramento Bee), Kevin Kallaugher (Baltimore Sun), and Ann Telnaes (Washington Post) added their own take on politics to the south as the 2016 appears to be shaping up to be a Hillary Clinton vs. Donald Trump contest.

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Royal Ontario Museum

Our Friday evening was spent at the big old building on University Avenue famous for its ancient mummies and Grecian urns. It began with a nicely attended public panel called Drawing the Line: Conversations on Press Freedoms. It included two of North America’s great editorial cartoonists, Canada’s Brian Gable of the Globe & Mail, and from the United States, Kevin (Kal) Kallaugher of the Baltimore Sun, and the Economist magazine. Both presented slide shows of their past cartoons and even gave the audience some how-to-draw lessons. Brian taught the gathering how to draw Justing Trudeau, Kevin meanwhile showed the amused crowd how to draw Donald Trump. The third panelist was Mohamed Fahmy who drew nothing, because he had to make a hasty exit, in order to catch a flight… the next morning. If he stayed around he could have joined convention attendees who made their way down the hall to the museum atrium which had been turned into a nightclub where music boomed and food and cocktails lubed the assembled partiers. The theme of the night was called “Punchline” and it featured a recurring show of our editorial cartoons projected on a wall opposite the Futalognkosaurus skeleton. See the short clip below to get a feel for this unique event.

ROM-ScottBurns-ACC2001

For a sense of our evening entertainment here’s a YouTube clip filmed by Wes Tyrell from “Punchline” featuring the work of cartoonists

Philip Burke at the Bedford Academy

What a treat ACC convention attendees experienced when the the upstairs of the Bedford Academy of Yorkville became the venue for a Saturday afternoon show by Philip Burke who painted a spectacular portrait of Wes Tyrell. All the while, we downed pints and ate finger foods while Philip worked his magic and Wes had to sit very still, for 4 hours. This moment was the culmination of year long blossoming friendship by the two that all began because of a simple FB compliment Wes delivered to Philip after being dazzled by the works on exhibit at Buffalo’s Burchfield Penney Art Centre from April 10 – September 13, 2015. Philip’s a very kind soul and is the latest illustrator to associate himself with a group which was traditionally been made up of just editorial cartoonists. He joins other notables such as Anita Kunz, Barry Blitt, and Matt Diffee, as an effort to broaden our scope to involve more like-minded satire artists. All part of the reason we now call ourselves the ACC, formerly the ACEC, the Association of Canadian Editorial Cartoonists.

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Encapsulating the afternoon here’s another YouTube clip by Nik Kowsar

The Bata Shoe Museum

The final evening of the Toronto convention was spent across from the Bloor Street hotel at the Bata Shoe Museum. There, Premier Kathleen Wynne and her partner Jane Rounthwaite joined in to celebrate the lifetime careers of Andy Donato, of the Toronto Sun, and Terry Mosher of the Montreal Gazette. Newspaper big wigs including Andrew Phillips, Lorrie Goldstein joined Post Media grand poobah Paul Godfrey to toast the combined 100 years worth of cartoon stardom. Wes Tyrell, on the eve of his being reappointed for a record 3rd term as Association President wore a splendid pac-man styled suit, which was warmly acknowledged by the Premier in her opening remarks. The occasion was also used to announce the 2016 winner of the ACC Townsie award. Dale Cummings won for his english language submissions, while Christian (Fleg) Daigle won for his French language entry. The final hours were spent trying on some of the wacky shoes and making the most of a tremendous convention. Hats off to Wes and the Toronto team for a great job. Now looking forward to Val David in 2018.

 BATA-ScottBurns-ACC3058

Photos courtesy of the following, Christian Vachon, Scott Burns, Tim Snyder, Wes Tyrell, Jennifer Jones, and Nik Kowsar. For more precise descriptions of each photo please visit this album on Graeme MacKay’s Flickr Account

The Toronto Sun sent a reporter to the Bata Shoe Museum reception. Here’s the text of their coverage:

Donato’s 50 years of work celebrated – even by premier

Wynne says she holds no grudges for criticisms

BY , TORONTO SUN

Veteran Toronto Sun cartoonist Andy Donato draws it the way he sees it.

In one of his memorable pieces, Donato drew Hamilton East voters with “butt heads” after the city re-elected then-beleaguered Liberal MP Sheila Copps in 1988.

BATA-1297553654427_ORIGINALThe mayor of Steeltown threw a fit and immediately got on the horn with Postmedia’s CEO Paul Godfrey, who was publisher of the Toronto Sun at the time.

“He said, ‘Mr. Godfrey, it’s the mayor. Your paper with that guy Donato embarrassed us like never before. I know how many calls I’ve had. I know how many calls I’m getting. I want Donato fired and a pledge that you’ll never do that again to the people of Hamilton,’” Godfrey recalled Saturday night at the Bata Shoe Museum, where Donato was honoured for his 50 years of work.

When Godfrey and the mayor agreed to speak off the record, Godfrey asked if he thought the cartoon was funny.

“He basically said, ‘You promise you won’t tell anyone? I found it hilarious,’” he said, as Godfrey’s audience erupted in laughter. “I told him, ‘When you hang up, you tell your people you called me as the publisher of the newspaper and you demanded all those things. That will let you off the hook.’ He hung up. Two minutes later, he calls back. ‘When this fury does down, can I get your original?’”

The Association of Canadian Cartoonists honoured Donato, 79, and prolific Montreal cartoonist Terry Mosher by presenting them with personalized hockey jerseys.

“It’s a great honour,” Donato said at the awards ceremony. “I’m just kind of knocked out that the premier is here. I’ve been tough on her and she’s a delight. That’s the problem with this business is we attack these people. I’m still going to criticize her, but that’s part of the job.”

Donato said he is proud of the aforementioned Hamilton cartoon, but also the drawing of “The American Dream” in 1979, depicting the soldiers raising the Iwo Jima flag from the backside of Ayatollah Khomeini, which won an award as best editorial cartoon in the world the following year.

“We had posters printed out, it was on T-shirts,” he said. “All the customs guys at the airport had buttons.”

King Wes Tyrell

King Wes Tyrell

Wes Tyrell, president of the Association of Canadian Cartoonists, said Donato continues to thrive, even in the digital age.

“He has been able to consistently deliver when many careers for many other cartoonists would last for five or 10 years, Andy has proved he is trans-generational,” Tyrell said. “That’s not an easy thing. That’s an element that gets a lot of respect from cartoonists.”

Premier Kathleen Wynne expressed gratitude for editorial cartoonists.

“I will just start by saying, I hold no grudges,” she said. “The work you do is so important. It does make us laugh, but I know you’re very serious about what you do. You’re speaking truth to power and your cartoons really capture where we’re at as a society.” (Source: Toronto Sun)

 

2016 Cartoonist Convention

ACC2016Cartoonists from across Canada and the United States are gathering in Toronto for a weekend convention celebrating, obsessing, and worrying about the future of their craft. We’ve done this every two years in almost every major city in Canada, including my hosting in Hamilton. The last one in 2014 was our first foray outside the mainland when we touched down in Havana Cuba. While it’ll be tall order to top the palm trees and salsa dancing of Cuba, the charm and skills of Wes Tyrell, the event organizer, is sure to please all in attendance. Wes is depicted in the above drawing in the bottom right hand corner. He single handedly organized our Cuba visit, and now herds the people who’ll host cartoonists in the centre of the universe.

We cartoonists are a solitary breed, and while social media has kept many of us in close contact outside of these conferences, nothing quite matches the benefits and camaraderie that comes with these rare get-togethers. It’s impossible not to notice how our numbers have shrunk with every passing convention as colleagues lose their jobs, retire, or pass away. There will be those forecasting the death of the newspaper industry within the next 5 years, as has always been stated with every convention I’ve attended for the last 2 decades. Old faces will make appearances, new people will be introduced, the association will persevere, and after we wrap up we’ll all go home energized and optimistic about the work we do.

For a look at our schedule of events surf on by the website of the Association of Canadian Cartoonists.

ACC2016

Reflections on our time in Cuba

ACEC/ACDE Poster Art, Havana 2014Español  | Français |  English

When my professional group, the long winded sounding The Association of Canadian Editorial Cartoonists (ACEC), gets together every couple of years, we normally meet in some Canadian city, talk a bit of shop, drink beer and listen to a few of us who bring along harmonicas while others strum guitars. The odd time we play host to a few foreign cartoonists who were oppressed in their countries, although the American Association does a better job of hosting foreign cartoonists with help from the Cartoonists Rights Network. Never before have we gone to another country where governments have a record of repressing free expressionists by clamping down on political satire directed their way.  We changed that this year.  In May, 16 cartoonists plus approximately 10 associates ventured to Havana, Cuba, for the cartoonist convention.  This visit included whirlwind tours of UNESCO World Heritage protected-towns of Trinidad and Cienfuegos.

Cuba-WPF

Updated in 2020 (Cuba has slipped to 171/280)

When I returned to the office after a 10 day visit to Cuba, I was met with a bit of grumpiness by a couple of my colleagues.  I was reminded of this recent column and the association choosing a place where press freedom ranked #170 out of 180 countries. So with that came digs about when we were planning to host future conventions in places like North Korea or Nigeria.

The ranking is quite disturbing, as it just barely scores better than Iran, Syria and North Korea, which is dead last on the list. Interestingly,  the mammoth nation of China, which has increasingly become quite trade-chummy over the past decade with Western governments (Canada included) ranks behind Cuba at #175. Canada, by the way, is #18, the USA is #46, and toping the list at #1 is Finland.

(The Poster Studio) Estudio Taller Babalu Aye, Havana Cuba

(The Poster Studio) Estudio Taller Babalu Aye, Havana Cuba

Go further in the ranking of Cuba and one will find that the island country is near the bottom of the list for open markets, regulatory efficiency, limited government, and the rule of law. Raul Castro rules over the state in a rather quieter bureaucratic way than his brother Fidel, nonetheless, he is firmly in control of the state levers and the Cuban Communist Party.  Agriculture, the public service, mining, wages, and productivity are all at the bottom of the barrel, and there’s no arguing against the facts spelled out in the bar graphs and pie charts — Cuba’s economic and political freedoms are squarely mired in a deep hell hole.

Illustration by Adán, Havana

Illustration by Adán, Havana

The American trade embargo certainly does not help matters, and it is often brought up by the locals as the main source of woe that Cuba endures. Their government successfully uses the pain of the embargo to give reason to anything that goes wrong in Cuba. Although, even that is wearing thin on weary Cubans as they openly question creative reasoning by their masters to blame the Yanks for Cuba’s corruption, and the lack of freedoms and rule of law so engrained in the machine that runs the country. We Canadians look to our friends in the USA wondering why they fuss so grudgingly about isolating a harmless country long deserted by an extinct Soviet cold warrior. At the same time, it’s kind of nice to find an oasis on Earth that hasn’t been polluted by the over-commercialization we find everywhere in the West from golden arch restaurants to monstrous box stores selling the goods from international sweat shops.

Yet the island country endures and chugs along against a current of western values that are clearly polar opposite to their own. The consequence are a people who fully and whole-heartedly embrace art, be it music, visual, and/or performance art, and it spills out of doorways and on to the streets like no other place in the 21st century.

Cuba-Canada_gathering

ByAndez

By Andez, Cienfuegos

What we discovered in Cuba is a very robust, diverse, and creative group of illustrators and cartoonists. Together we mounted a nice exhibit of our illustrations and cartoons at the Vitrina de Valonia Gallery in the heart of old Havana.  No, they aren’t allowed to directly skewer their governments to the degree in which we in the North have the freedom to do, but they are keenly aware about how much they can push the envelope to the furthest edges which won’t find them locked away in prison. If I drew the kind of sex cartoons Chisp@ of Cienfuegos gets away with in Cuba, for example, I may not be thrown in jail, but it wouldn’t take long before my bosses would send me packing from the Spectator. Perhaps it’s simply typical of  tropical societies, but clearly the culture of the naked form is better tolerated in Cuban illustrations than in cold Canada, so long as it doesn’t cross the line into pornography, because possession of that will find one behind prison bars!

Los niños de la Guerra by Alfredo Martirena

Los niños de la Guerra by Alfredo Martirena

Much of the Cuban editorial cartoons I came across are directed quite predictably at the United States, and not necessarily obsessing against the embargo. The folks I met are very much aware of news events beyond their shores, and are way more up to speed than I can ever be on the latest movies and Netflix mini-series. They may not all have the Internet feeding into their home computers, but they certainly have access to it through their cell phones, tablets and office computers.  They have e-mail, they’re on Facebook, and they’re very much aware of the challenging economic times their mighty neighbour to the north is going through.

The housing crisis, the occupy movement, and the Obamacare mess have provided Cubans a front row seat to view the parade of pitfalls of capitalism and the widening gap between the super rich and the growing poor. Today’s hardships have darkened the once colourful picture Cubans had of the USA, making people I met wonder how pathetically desperate fellow countrymen must be to board rafts bound for the the shores of Florida in the 21st century.

by Ramses Morales Izquierdo

by Ramses Morales Izquierdo

Ramses Morales Izquierdo found out from the internationally known Cuban illustrator Ares, that a bunch of us cartoonists were staying in Cuba after our general convention wrapped up in Havana.  Not even a minute had gone by during the time I was checking out my room at the Iberostar Hotel in the beautiful old town of Trinidad that the phone rang with Ramses on the line, welcoming me. From that moment on, he became our pal and he guided us behind the scenes into the town’s archives where his gallery is based.  He showed us parts of his beloved town that aren’t the usual stops for tourists. He came along with us to the newer and bigger city of Cienfuegos, and, along with the very talented Angel Fernandez Quintana (Andez), organized an impromptu gathering of local illustrators near our Hotel Jagua.

AresIllustration

By Aristides E. Hernandez Guerrero (Ares)

Growing up, Ramses’ mother advised him that he was going to learn English, unlike the rest of the kids in his school who were taught Russian as a second language. The consequence of that decision is someone who is extremely well read and informed about the world around him. He is very passionate about his town and country and speaks with an intensity that is very honest about Cuba.  He is quite optimistic about its future. Ramses is very insistent that his country be regarded as a multicultural one belonging to the first world, and an integral part of North America.

(Update: In 2015, Ramses was featured in this CBC news report (beginning at the 1:09 min mark) when the U.S. and Cuba were negotiating an end to a half century of distrust and suspicion.)  

Raul Castro has somewhat loosened the government’s grip on private investment. Reports say the reforms aren’t going so well. Evidently however, free-enterprise is cropping up in the form of family run Paladar restaurants and B&Bs. There are obvious signs of entrepreneurship and visitors can see it in the clothes people wear, and in their watches and accessories. There are the haves, and have-nots, and it’s not based on how connected one is to the regime, but how hard one works. There’s also push-back towards the new free enterprise. Off the main square of Plaza Carillo in Trinidad is the Bar Floridita. This is not the one made famous by Ernest Hemingway that includes a statue of him at the end of a bar where tourists get their photo taken, but a replica of the place.  It’s one of several that have opened up across the island serving drinks with the same prices one would pay if they were at a Kelsey’s franchise in Canada. It’s all great for tourists, but to Ramses, it’s akin to Starbucks moving in and running the old cafe across the street out of business.

Click here for a full gallery of photos

What I’ve learned from this trip was this is not our grandfather’s Cuba.  It’s only a matter of time before Starbucks and the big box stores make their way to the shores of Cuba.  And it will make big news just like when the first McDonald’s opened years ago in Moscow and Beijing.  It is with hope that Cuba takes a page out of China’s book of how to expand its free markets for greater prosperity. Finally, here’s hoping our friends south of the 49th Parallel will soon rethink their relationship with this beautiful, historic country and its people and let them choose their own destiny unencumbered by old grievances and greedy ex-pat descendants from the Batista era.

Update, January 28, 2015: Adrienne Arsenault of the CBC reports on US/Cuban negotiations to normalize relations. In the video attached to this link.

SOCIAL MEDIA

This article was posted to the DailyCartoonist.com, a terrific website covering news about professional cartoonists, webcomics, movies and animation, and magazine gag cartoonists. It bills itself as the source for industry news for the professional cartoonist. Click here to see the rantings of a genuine 21st century American cold warrior reacting to our tour.

Super Special ACEC Action Cards ***Uncle Sam Edition***, by Wes Tyrell

ACEC player cards

 Message from ACEC President Wes Tyrell, May 25, 2014

At this time most of our cartoonist adventurers have returned to the homeland (Dan Murphy may be setting up a studio in the SierraMaestra as we speak and will only be available via wireless from now on).

Our ACEC/ACDE Conference was by any standard a terrific endeavour and I think now most are in agreement that conferences can be held quite successfully in foreign countries. Our hosts proved to be the most charming of individuals, a delightful blend of veterans and youngsters, all with great admiration and curiosity for the northern invaders.

If anything was learned by meeting these people it was that their desire to observe and create is ceaseless and is that not the most inspirational of elements one hopes to come away with while visiting new colleagues?

The sights and sounds will reverberate for a long time and hopefully will pop up in strange and interesting fashions in your work. Our new friends there including Ares, Adan, Laz, Falco, Martirena, Ramses, Angel and the rest have at the same time learned a little about what it means to be Canadian and how our brand of cartooning can perhaps teach them some different approaches.

Our conversations to this affect were, in that Canadian way, not heavy handed or intimidating and they all thanked us for a velvet approach. Cartooning in Cuba presents many challenges and these characters are savvy navigators, able to satisfy their own instincts while presenting socially palatable work.

Many new friends; a very successful gallery exhibit; some comedic presentations made more unusual with the three language translation magic of our friend Michele; old car tours; great eating and drinking – memories were just piled one on top of the other for all.

I hope members will be encouraged to share photos and videos as well as sketches so we can compile an ibook or equivalent as a terrific memento of this fine time.

Our momentum going forward is strong and our next endeavour will look to bring together cartoonists from all over Canada and the globe in my hometown of Toronto in 2016. This will give us an opportunity to gather members and friends who were unable to join us at this year’s conference as we put on a show that promotes the excellence of Canadian cartooning. This is really the first strength of our association and something you should all be proud of.

Our Ontario members starting with the great Donato, Gable, Mou, Dewar, MacKay and their respective papers will be encouraged to participate in order to remind everyone that cartooning is alive and well in the beautiful city of Toronto.