Cartoon Art Show in NY

The Great Neck Art Center is having an exhibit of original cartoon artwork at their gallery from August 12- October 1, 2006. I have two pieces in the show, the original splash pages from the “Batman Begins” and “Medium” parodies.

The show features some great art by some terrific cartoonists. To name just a few: Sy Barry (The Phantom), Mort Drucker (Mad Magazine), Hy Eisman (Popeye), Stan Goldberg (Archie), Bunny Hoest(TheLockhorns), Arnie Levin (The New Yorker), Mike Lynch (Wall Street Journal), Don Orehek (Playboy), Rina Piccolo (Tina’s Groove) and many more. Check out this link to see some pictures of the show on cartoonist Mike Lynch’s blog. I sent my art in late (BAD, TOM! BAD!) so no mention of me, but I should be in there by now.

In addition to the show they are having several events at the gallery. There will be a “Meet the Cartoonists” opening reception on Sunday, Aug. 20th from 4:00- 6:30 pm. There will also be two panel discussions in conjunction with the show: “The Essential Cartoonist: A Conversation with your favorite cartoonists” on Wednesday, September 13, 6:30 pm, and “See You in the Funny Pages: A Conversation with more of your favorite cartoonists” on Saturday, September 16, 7:00 pm. According to Mike’s blog, Mort Drucker (“Mad” magazine) , Stan Goldberg (“Archie”) and Rina Piccolo (“Tina’s Groove,” and “Six Chix”) are the featured speakers scheduled for the Wednesday panel. On Saturday the 16th, Mark Anderson (gag cartoons, greeting cards), Isabella Bannerman (“Six Chix,” Funny Times) Ray Billingsley (“Curtis”) and Jim Salicrup (“Spider-Man” editor, CEO Papercutz manga line) as scheduled to appear.

When I say my contributions were late in arriving, I mean they were really late. Back in June I spoke with Mike Lynch, who was working to organize the show at??ᬨ‚ĆBunny Hoest’s??ᬨ‚ĆNCS picnic. Mike told me about the show and aksed if I’d participate. I said I’d be happy to. I got some information sent to me a week or two later. The summer is a crazy time for me and I’m embarrassed to say it got put on the back burner. Part of the problem was they wanted only framed work, and I have nothing framed. In fact, I have only those two pieces matted for showing. The deadline for submission came and went, and I never did get the framing done. Then last week I got an envelope in the mail with a promo card for the show, and my name was listed in the “featuring works by:” area. Ooops. I didn’t think I was that??ᬨ‚Ćemphatic when I told Mike I’d be sending in some work. A hurried phone call to the Art Center and one expensive UPS next day package later I am in the show after all. I’ll be more careful in the future to either follow through when promising artwork for a show, or adding a lot of “maybes” to my responses. I feel bad about not getting the art there in time, but I really did have every intention of doing so. Well, I’m in the show just like it says in the promo card.

This should be a good show and I wish I was going to be in the area to take it in. If you live nearby or have occasion to travel to NY state before Oct. 1st, check it out.