Not Your Usual Caricature Artist

Vol. 14, No. 10

A Monthly Compendium of Caricatures and Commentary About Them

Charlton Heston, above, as Michaelangelo in "The Agony and The Ecstasy," on the scaffolding that brought the famed Renaissance artist to the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City where he painted the celebrated Creation of Adam. As "hired" by Pope Julius II around 1508, Michaelangelo engaged in arguably the most famous example in history of commissioned art.

Welcome to the October issue of

Not Your Usual Caricature Artist

from Caricatures by Joel

According to Gemini, the A.I. information source, commissioned art is "custom art created specifically for a client upon request, produced according to agreed upon specifications, timelines and financial terms rather than created speculatively by the artist for general sale."

When a caricature is commissioned, it is creating something lasting. It's carefully planned around a person, a couple, a family, or a team. The artist can learn about the subjects, notice meaningful details, and shape the drawing to reflect personalities, relationships, and shared experiences.

The finished piece becomes a keepsake: a conversation starter on a wall, a thoughtful gift, or a visual record of an important moment. Commissioned artwork rewards patience and personalization. It gives the client time to review ideas, provide reference photos, and collaborate on the final result.

Commissioned caricatures preserve a story, while a "live" caricature gig creates a story in the moment. Clients can enjoy both: a lively event today and a finished artwork to treasure tomorrow. On occasion, I've entertained at a wedding or bar/bat mitzvah drawing caricatures of the guests, "live"...along with a commissioned piece of the individual(s) of the hour, on display as a "sign-in board."

Each of the artworks on this page were commissioned by a client -- corporate or individual -- to help tell a story, in one fashion or another.

Above, at the top, the faux Time magazine cover honored a retiring chairman;

Bettina, the blonde young lady pictured with her husband Jerry, requested that, for his birthday, I draw the two of them in a style that simulates the look of "caricatures" drawn for the walls of the famed Palm restaurant. And since I had done that many times in reality, it was a familiar...and fun...assignment;

Stuart Watson, Charlotte media personality, engaged my services to add an illustration to one of the chapters of his self-published autobiography;

Candy was an influential part of her high school class back in the day -- a gift from a classmate who remembered and wanted her to know, through the ensuing years, she was appreciated.

Allie, the "Swifty," above, is an executive with GEM, Global Endowment Management; her company honors those who've reached their ten-year anniversary with scattered references that reflect both a corporate and personal life;

Below, Keith, the gentleman in the cowboy duds, was an executive with a Charlotte TV station who exited for greener media pastures in Houston;

"Louie the Lock" is the father of a client of mine and Brooklyn was the proud domain for his locksmith business and the youth baseball team he sponsored.

Below, Dominique, is a physical therapist who commissioned me to draw himself at his floating "desk;"

Retiring executive Wade Pidgeon with Duke Energy, is surrounded by colleagues wishing him well;

Tiffany Cook is a celebrity wedding planner and industry media personality;

Doing one-arm pushups is retiring executive Graham from legal and public affairs giant McGuireWoods.

That's it for this edition.

See you again the first Tuesday of next month

for another drawn-out view of this whimsical art form,

via Not Your Usual Caricature Artist

from Caricatures by Joel.



Joel Kweskin

jdkmcm@gmail.com

www.caricaturesbyjoel.com

704.575.8850