“What’s So Funny?” Cartoon Art Show

The morning after my little talk in Aitkin, MN I was able to visit the exhibit “What’s So Funny? A Celebration of Cartooning!” in the nearby Jaques Art Center. Located in a renovated Carnegie Library, the Jaques (pronounced “Jay-Kweez”) Art Center is a marvelous little museum featuring a permanent collection of work from well known local wildlife artist Francis Lee Jaques, rotating exhibits and regular educational classes and workshops.

A more accurate title for the show might be “What’s So Funny? A Celebration of MINNESOTA Cartoonists!” because that’s really the focus of the exhibit. Curator (and Minnesota cartoonist) Duane Barnhart did a lot of telephone, email and leg work to gather up cartooning samples from some of the many varied talents in the state and put together a really fantastic exhibit of original work on display in the charming town of Aitkin through October 3rd. There are some classic gems from past Minnesota native giants like Wally Wood and Charles Schulz as well as working stiffs from today.

Here are some pictures from the show:

Part of the main gallery

This TV prop was designed and built by local animator Joel Seibol

Comic Art by Dan Jurgens

An Original Sunday Peanuts!!

Some of my artwork

An original Wally Wood!

A bit more of the Gallery…

Some great work by Duane and others…

Work by an old friend of mine, Scott Rolfs

More terrific work…

Original Jerry Van Amerongen art showing his process

More Jerry…

Exhibit curator Duane Barnhart, me and the Center’s Executive Director Karen Raisanen

Great show. Congrats and thanks to Duane, Karen and the rest of the folks at the Jaques for their hospitality and hard work on the exhibit. What a great thing for the area.