Alison Brown
January 15, 2021 in General, News
Clive Goddard, PCO Chair writes:
The Professional Cartoonists’ Organisation are shocked and saddened to hear of the death of the London Cartoon Museum’s Alison Brown.
January 15, 2021 in General, News
Clive Goddard, PCO Chair writes:
The Professional Cartoonists’ Organisation are shocked and saddened to hear of the death of the London Cartoon Museum’s Alison Brown.
September 30, 2020 in General, News
Tat Effby writes:
So, the idea for my cartoon series In The Olden Phrase came to me a while ago. But it seems in these Unprecedented Times™ of mixed messages, sneezing into elbows and talking out of arses, there’s never been a better time to share my guide to contemporary buzz-speak.
Language is ever-evolving and I’m not complaining, I love words and I’m no grammar fascist; less po-tay-toes, fewer po-tah-toes… whatevs.
But when did ‘getting in contact’ become Reaching Out, ‘in the future’ turn into Going Forward, and ‘household hints’ equate to Life Hacks? And when did Platform get ideas above its station?
As the buzz-phrases kept coming, and kept grating, so did the opportunities to take the mick, so I started to compile a phrase book guide to the new vocabulary, the idea growing out of my previous series, Back in My Day, that appeared in Private Eye, back in the day.
The series is launching on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @oldenphrase where you can follow my easy-to-use guide to help sort your Big Dick Energy from your Big Dick Emery or your Pansexuals from your Pan’s Peoples.
Yes, In The Olden Phrase is a means to poke fun at topical verbal guffery, but, if I’m being completely honest with myself, it’s also a Safe Space for me to understand the screaming insanity of the modern world. I hope it may help others too.
You’re welcs.
(So also… when did sentences have to start with So?)
July 31, 2020 in Events, General, News
In the ‘old normal’ this weekend would have seen cartoonists flocking like seagulls to the wonderful Herne Bay Cartoon Festival. With this year’s event c19ncelled here’s a trip down memory lane with the fabulous posters from previous years and links to the festival holiday snaps.
2013 Poster by © Hunt Emerson
The Herne Bay event started as a bolt-on to the Duchamp In Herne Bay centennial festival and featured much Marcel Duchamp toilet humour including cartoons exhibited in the latrines of local pubs.
2014 ‘Cartoonists Beside The Surrealside’ by © Ian Baker
The following year in 2014 the cartoon festival became a thing of its own, but still keeping it surreal.
2015 ‘Cartoonists Beside The Surrealside II’ by © Jeremy ‘Banx’ Banks
The art theme carried on in 2015 with cartoonists manning easels in the bandstand.
2016 by © Dave Brown
In 2016 once more we stuck our toes in the water and drew seaside postcards..
2017 ‘The End of the Pier Show’ by © Chris Burke
In 2017 the live drawing moved over from the bandstand to the pier.
2018 ‘Turning the Tide’ by © The Surreal McCoy
2018 had the seaside theme ‘Turning The Tide’ with an extra focus on female cartoonists in celebration of the centenary of women getting the vote in the UK.
2019 ‘Fly Me To The Moon’ by © Martha ‘Marf’ Richler
Last year’s 2019 spacey theme was the Apollo moon landings. Little did we know it would be the last time cartoonists landed on Herne Bay pier for some time.
Fingers crossed we’ll be heading back with our buckets and spades, cramming the beaches in 2021!
Rob Murray writes:
Six weeks ago, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and with the country on lockdown, I joined forces with psychologist and author Dr Kevin Dutton to launch Bottle Moments: a project using personalised cartoons to bring some much-needed joy — and to say ‘thank you’ — to frontline key workers.
Kev is a longstanding client of mine, with whom I have collaborated on several projects in the past (most notably illustrating some of his bestselling books, including The Good Psychopath’s Guide to Success, co-written with Andy McNab).
No 34: “Giving my little niece, born just before lockdown, a big squeeze and telling my parents’ pup that he’s such a good boy” – George, NHS comms officer
The idea for Bottle Moments is a simple one: we asked frontline key workers to contact us on social media and tell us about something that is getting them through this difficult time: a happy memory, an aspiration, or perhaps simply a special friend or relative they can’t wait to see again when this is all over. A moment they wish they could bottle and keep forever — something they think about to help them get through the tough times.
No 15: “Looking forward to cuddling this lovely fella, my Dad.” – Marion, general surgical nurse.
Key workers provide a photo or two for reference, and I bring their Bottle Moment to life as a quick cartoon, encapsulated in a bottle — which we then post on Instagram and Twitter.
The response has been incredible. Most importantly, the reaction of key workers themselves to the cartoons I’ve drawn for them has been wonderful — they have hugely appreciated the drawings and said they’ve brightened their days after a tough shift; some have even told us they’ve been moved to happy tears.
The media response has also been amazing. Amongst the highlights, Kev and I appeared on The Ian Collins Show on TalkRadio on 22nd May, and we were featured in the Daily Mirror on 28th (above).
But the biggest boost to our project came last Friday, when we were interviewed on ITV’s Good Morning Britain (viewable here). Aside from giving us a platform to explain Bottle Moments to an enormous TV audience, the segment also featured two key workers being surprised with a cartoon I’d produced for them.
No 55:“I’m a key worker in a school and my wife works in mental health. We go to a lot of horror conventions which are stopped at present, including the Walking Dead convention. We’re looking forward to being back at these events.” – Tim, school cleaner
Mental health was already a talking point before the pandemic, and lockdown has only increased people’s awareness of the need to hold onto positive memories and relationships. It’s also been very rewarding for me to see the positive impact a cartoon sketch can have on an individual.
So far I’ve drawn about 70 and counting — and we’re aiming to tackle as many as we can. Key workers can contact us with their requests via @BottleMoments on Twitter and Instagram, also using the hashtag #bottlemoments.
April 7, 2020 in News
Rupert Besley writes:
Congratulations to the organisers of Laughter Line in Wallsend. And commiserations too. No sooner had they got their cartoon exhibition set up than in came the requirement for museums and galleries to close (at present Segedunum have made that provisional to 1st May).
Last year, you may remember, saw the Tyneside museum mounting their Hadrian’s Wall-inspired cartoon exhibition ‘Borderline Funny’ (with contributions from several PCO members). Community involvement is all part of the museum’s remit, such that during the successful run of ‘Borderline Funny’ a further 700 new cartoons were produced by local children and by adults visiting the exhibition. Thanks to the volunteering Friends of Segedunum, a selection of these was made and cartoons framed and mounted in time for opening on 29 Feb, ahead of the school half-term.
The Borderline cartoon project (supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund) is a great example of how, with enthusiasm behind them, good things can grow. We wish the Friends every success with this and future projects.
(acknowledgement: photos from Friends of Segedunum newsletter, Spring 2020, with thanks.)
March 17, 2020 in News
Mike and Anita O’Brien at Ayr Cartoon Festival
Pete Dredge writes:
Like many cartoonists of a certain age, I first met Mike in the late 1970’s through membership of the Cartoonists’ Club of Great Britain. In those days the Club would meet monthly in The Cartoonist Pub in London’s Shoe Lane, as well as regularly arranging various “out of town” weekend, brewery-sponsored jaunts and an annual 5 day convention at Butlins. Mike, being one of the most sociable of chaps you’d ever wish to meet, was in his element. Nothing cliquey about Mike, he would find the time to talk to anyone and everyone in the room. This of course was no mean feat and Mike would usually sustain this time-consuming endeavour with a pint of best bitter and pin-sharp wit to hand.
Mike was a slightly built Mancunian but had the constitution of an ox and would often be found propping up the bar into the wee small hours as others fell pathetically by the wayside. I have only twice gone 24 hours without sleep and both times were in Mike’s wonderful, mischievous company. The first was on the CCGB’s 1979 trip to New York and, more recently, at the Ayr Cartoon Festival in 2001.
Sadly Mike contracted prostate cancer about 7 years ago and this put paid to his legendary imbibing and although his treatment appeared to be successful the cancer returned a few months ago with devastating effect . I last saw Mike about 3 years ago but spoke to him regularly on the phone over the years. Latterly the usual ‘mock bewilderment ‘ conversations about the machinations of cartoon editors was gradually replaced by more serious discussions of a medical nature.
Mike was a great gag cartoonist (Private Eye, The Spectator, The Oldie etc) who should have graced the pages of magazines much more frequently than he did. He served the CCGB well, not only as a lifelong member but as a distinguished chairman and put great store on the importance of the newsletter as a means of keeping distant, more remote members in touch with what was going on. As well as being a member of the PCO, Mike was also a member and regular attendee of BCA dinners.
Mike and joyous laughter (seasoned with a hint of cynicism) were synonymous and I, and all his colleagues will miss him greatly.
by Glenn Marshall
Draw The Coronavirus – The eBook!
December 17, 2020 in Comment, Events, General, News
The ‘Great’ Glenn Marshall (WINNER of Draw The Coronavirus competition) writes:
Many cartoonists, illustrators, artists and fly-by-nights have been taking refuge from the cruel world by joining in Martin Rowson’s regular cartoon challenges. He sets a subject and we all vent spleen (most of us were in lock down and online twiddling our thumbs-up emojis anyway so it gave us something to fill time between Joe Wicks and hitting the cooking sherry)
Cartoon by © Steve Bell
At the end of April, the Museums Association and the BBC launched ‘Museums From Home Day’. Martin, in collaboration with The Cartoon Museum, set the challenge of #DrawTheCoronavirus. The Musuem has now launched a fabulous ebook of the entries, featuring around 200 cartoons by 71 different artistes including Ralph Steadman, Glenn Marshall, Steve Bell, Ben Jennings, Glenn Marshall, Nick Newman, Jeremy Banx, Glenn Marshall, Steve Bright, Zoom Rockman, Grizelda, oh and Glenn Marshall.
Cartoon by © Rob Murray
ALL proceeds from the book are going towards the Cartoon Museum’s fundraising appeal to secure their long-term future after a difficult year with the pandemic. The eBook will be available to buy for a modest £10 from their online store,
Cartoon by © Grizelda
Here are couple of quotes from the press release:
Joe Sullivan, Cartoon Museum Director:
“It has been fantastic to see the creativity and humour of these artists in the face of coronavirus, reflecting issues everyone has been struggling with through lockdown, and using it as fuel to make us laugh. It is a pleasure to work with them all and share their amazing, work with everyone in this e-book. All proceeds from sales of the e-book go directly to helping the museum to secure our future, and we are very thankful to all the artists involved for donating their work to the e-book. Thank you too all our supporters for helping us to survive through the pandemic, and we hope this book brings you as much fun reading it as we had making it!”
Martin Rowson:
“Faced with an invisible enemy, a question should be nagging away at the back of each of our minds: what’s this virusy bastard LOOK like? And, as it’s our job to reimagine our leaders the better to enable us to laugh at them, who’s more qualified to define Corona in all its Pandemic Covidness than cartoonists? Forget electron microscopes – here you’ll find the truest & most accurate depictions of our Common Foe!”
.….and another quote from Martin Rowson:
“Challenge won by the Great @marshallcartoon”
Here’s Martin talking about ‘Draw The Coronavirus’ on BBC Radio 4 Today programme back in April:
Cartoon by © Steve Bright
Cartoon by © Nick Newman
For anyone wanting to join in with Mr Rowson’s caricature challenges they’re frequently set on his twitter feed @MartinRowson
Cartoon by © Zoom Rockman
By the way, did I mention who won it?
Tags: #DrawTheCoronaVirus, Banx, BBC Radio 4, Ben Jennings, Brighty, cartoonists, cartoons, Corona Virus, Covid 19, Draw The Corona Virus, Glenn Marshall, Grizelda, Joe Sullivan, Martin Rowson, Museums From Home Day, Nick Newman, Pandemic, Ralph Steadman, Rob Murray, Steve Bell, Steve Bright, The Cartoon Museum, Today programme, Zoom Rockman 1 Comment »