Calgary Party Caricatures

Here's a couple of the many samples I drew caricatures at a corporate event a few days ago ....such FANTASTIC guests! Each and everyone was a joy to draw! When I get such receptive, fun people such as these folks, it makes my job so much better and fun for me as well. Oh....the pink tint? The entire room had pink uplighting everywhere in the room. One more special thanks to these guests....thanks for coming out on the evening that Canada elected our new Prime Minister! :)

Halloween Window Splash

Though I never pursued doing window splash, or window painting, I did this one and another for my little Grandson, Brendan. It was fun for me drawing it out as he watched me, luckily he WAS watching as I had totally forgot to draw in Dracula's fangs in which I was immediately reminded by Brendan.  Drawing on windows can be tricky as you draw everything backwards, not too bad when it comes to the image....MUCH tougher when it comes to lettering.
Jazzberry Entertainment

In the U.S.A. the Coast to Coast Bully Walk was under way again, I'm proud to say that my cartoon of the above pitbull, "Piper" is again used for the banners, and calendars as well as ID badges. From what I understand The Bully Walk is to bring awareness to the breed and it's owners, I don't know a lot about the breed, ( we have a Pomeranian-Chihuahua......about as far from a pitbull as can be....) A big shout-out to Laura Bodnar-Bruccoleri for all her fabulous work in changing not only the perception of the breed, but helping to educate it's owners. :)

Elvira

Halloween is right around the corner and who is the most popular "Mistress of the Dark"? Elvira! I remember watching her movies in the late eighties and just going...wow....never realizing years later I would get a chance to meet her in person. Charming and classy are the first two words that come to mind when meeting this lovely red head, but as the picture below shows.....there is another side to "Elvira!"

Mark Dawson

I'm so fortunate to have a friend that is a bonafide rock star...Mark Dawson! Though the band "The Grass Roots" is a sixties icon band, hey....they have the gold records to show! The first caricature I drew of Mark was very...... "safe"......but after we became friends, then I was able to have some fun with the cartoon. My caricatures aren't the over the top exaggeration type, but rather a fun style....to match Mark's personality. Great guy to know.....proud to call him my friend!

Creepy Halloween Face Painting

Okay....these are creepy! Not my thing, but my lovely Daughter, Cara Gannon is a face painter in Calgary and books up Halloween day to apply some "creep" face paint to adults that are going to parties that evening. I agreed to be a "model" as a zombie ( still not sure what the fascination in zombies are???) Cara drew on her own face on the "creepy clown" and top picture.....but I'm sure Stephen King would be proud......   to contact Calgary Face Painter Cara Gannon....     caralgannon@gmail.com

Jazzberry Entertainment. Cara Gannon   caralgannon@gmail.com

Corporate Event Caricatures

This corporate event has to rate in my top five of all time, both for fantastic guests, easy going management and Sonia!....who booked me...thanks Sonia! What a great group of guests! I drew each guest solo as they are later to be scanned and put together in a booklet.

There was a great sounding jazz band in the background playing...I'm not a huge fan of jazz, but it was so nice to draw guests, have some great background music....and not have to yell to communicate with the guests....:) Thanks to the band!

Party Caricatures in Calgary

A couple of the fun guests I drew caricatures for at Heritage Park for a corporate event. What makes this event so unique is that most all the guests were laid off and the company still held a great event for them! Good on you company! :)

House Party Caricatures

Well hubby is AWOL from the picture, but a fun house party had me drawing caricatures for Olga's birthday party Friday evening. All the ladies were from Russia so I had asked how to write "lovely lady" in Russian. When hubby returned to view the caricature....there it was written on the cartoon in Russian....with a quizzical look he wondered how I knew Russian....:) FANTASTIC group of guests! Thanks Chris....and Happy Birthday Olga!

Public "Art".......

Every caricature event I draw at in Calgary, I have to drive right past this piece of "art" that I get to look at with disdain from the highway. First off.....as you can see from the background...there really isn't  much of anything around it...such as people!!.....:) Now the shocking part....Calgary public art program paid...are you ready for this....sit down first.....$470,000.00 ...AND had a German artist design it.......) I'm guessing that it's just too difficult to find a local artist to design this "piece of art".....well, ...I guess it's true...."art is in the eyes of the beholder".....oh yes....the name of this masterpiece is.... The Universal Mode of Transportation......

Ronald McDonald House

As a caricature artist here in Calgary I'm asked quite often to help out with charities, I can't always as most times I am booked, but one charity I support whole heartedly is The Ronald McDonald House. Sunday I was able to do just that, draw caricatures for a Rock The House Run. Our family has had some experience with Ronald McDonald House and it's a small token I can pay them back. ANYONE could find themselves using their services through no fault of their own by simply having a sick child as our family did, and Ronald McDonald House was a HUGE help while visiting the child in extended care at a hospital. The next time you're in McDonalds, you'll see the small container sitting by the till.....don't ignore it as most people do....put some change into it, you never know, one day it could affect you. Oh....this young woman asked that I draw her beautiful...she already was.....

Calgary Wedding Caricatures

After a great event Saturday afternoon drawing caricatures in downtown Calgary,  I raced back to Airdrie where I live and changed into the suit and tie, then back to Calgary to draw caricatures for Alanna and Michael's wedding. Here's a small sample of some of the wonderful guests I had the honour of drawing that evening, all fun guests! Thanks Alanna!

Calgary Caricatures

This event held in down town Calgary was a large one where everyone was invited. Line-ups were long and never had a chance to get many pictures of guests caricatured....but what a fun gig!

When I'm asked to draw the small girls as a princess, I have to remember the only princess cartoon I was taught when I worked a summer in Disneyland. I guess I should come up with a couple more as I'm asked quite often to draw this cartoon.

I love drawing guests of Asian decent....love the large cheek bones, full lips and other features of their face structure that make the cartoon interesting.

The greatest part of my "job" besides meeting the wonderful guests is knowing the other entertainers that I constantly work with. above are Tristan and Sara with the entertainment agent that put the show together ) there were bands, temporary airbrush tattoos, "my Wife and Daughter did those," face painters and much more). Both Tristan and Sara are so MEGA talented, they should be working for either Disney or Universal Studios as this is just a microcosm of the many talents they have.....and yes...Sara designed and sewed both costumes.

Hanna Caricature Gig

Every year I have the great opportunity to draw caricatures at the Hanna Teen Fair....and I love it! One interesting aspect about Hanna is that one of the world's biggest name rock bands grew up and came out of Hanna...Nickelback. Like them or hate them, your choice, but no denying that they achieved something incredible especially after you've had the opportunity such as I have of talking to many people that grew up with them as teens. ( most all these kids parents were in their classroom).

Unlike many rock bands, Nickelback has spent money and time on their incredible stage and light show...after all....that's what rock bands should do! (the worst I've seen was Bon Jovi...:(

Why I admire what the group has accomplished in their career, you only have to see the starting point of their career. The hotel ( the large white building ) was a Friday night playing venue and even they played at the local Legion....no overnight success.

I wonder if the band knew they would be playing the venues below....especially after starting out playing in the venues above......

And the common theme when talking to the parents of the kids I drew of the band Nickelback...."they were true bad boys!"

Yes...after listening to parents talk about the band, ( bad boys!), seeing the area they lived in, the smallness of the little town with radio stations only playing country music and of course, the venues they started playing in, I came to the conclusion that if anyone has a dream, with some hard work and a little luck.....one can accomplish them...good on you Nickelback!

I had enough time after drawing caricatures at Spruce Meadows Masters to get through 5:00 rush hour ( dreadful in Calgary...:) to get a parking spot and draw caricatures for the world's largest credit card company...( I'll let you guess that one!). Because it was held in this beautiful venue, I had to change in my car....ALWAYS a challenge.......

The Fab Set

I finally have the lettering of our British Invasion tribute band's logo, "The Fab Set" put onto my bass drum.....looks "Fab!!!"

Spruce Meadows Masters Caricatures

I really should have more samples of caricatures from working at The Spruce Meadows Masters....but I don't even though there were line-ups. There is something about stopping to take pictures of samples when guests have been lined up in the heat and rain for long periods of time....I usually jam out on the pictures, then when they're walking away I think "yes" that was a great sample....maybe the next one!

All over the grounds, very cool uniforms can be seen from the history of the horse, since we're Canadian, a lot of the history is British.

The Friday was burning hot and Sunday was cold and rainy, but the horse jumping show still continued though when the arena's get wet it must be a bit tense with horses that are worth more than a house....