Caricature artist supreme DREW FRIEDMAN recently paid homage to JOHN A. JOHNS, a Pittsburgh PA area caricaturist who's brilliant images graced the cover of the local TV listings for decades. By the time I knew him he was President of the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, where I attended from 1976 - 1978.
He could draw anybody and capture a likeness in seconds. He used to demonstrate his incomparable skills to us students, as well as show slides of his work, like this Carol Burnett.Every slide brought gasps of awe and gales of laughter, he was as gifted as they come and though he did do one spot for MAD (included in Drew Friedman's post) he mostly stayed local, where he was beloved, both at the school and in print circles.
Pittsburgh's greatest caricaturist and one of caricature's greatest advocates: John A. Johns, (1921- 2005)
8 comments:
I wasn't aware of Johns until Drew Friedman's post, but he's terrific.
Thank you for sharing those caricatures with us.Bloody amazing!
Johns was a one of a kind guy. What a treat for me (and others - you for instance, Will) who went to AiP to "be" a cartoonist and to have the school's president be a cartoonist/caricaturist (instead of someone with a purely educational/managerial background). I doubt the Ai network would allow that today. Him working with a few of us and letting us work as caricaturists at events (i.e. The Three Rivers Arts Festival)... did worlds for our ego, our resumes and our wallets.
Johns was a one of a kind guy. What a treat for me (and others - you for instance, Will) who went to AiP to "be" a cartoonist and to have the school's president be a cartoonist/caricaturist (instead of someone with a purely educational/managerial background). I doubt the Ai network would allow that today. Him working with a few of us and letting us work as caricaturists at events (i.e. The Three Rivers Arts Festival)... did worlds for our ego, our resumes and our wallets.
Johns was a one of a kind guy. What a treat for me (and others - you for instance, Will) who went to AiP to "be" a cartoonist and to have the school's president be a cartoonist/caricaturist (instead of someone with a purely educational/managerial background). I doubt the Ai network would allow that today. Him working with a few of us and letting us work as caricaturists at events (i.e. The Three Rivers Arts Festival)... did worlds for our ego, our resumes and our wallets.
Hi Will!!
I found on Youtube another Mac Perro TV spot. I remember that you liked the Carlos Constantini animation.
I posted the video on my blog.
Thanks.
Thanks everybody. I was glad to see these again after all these years. Drew Freidman is, of course, also an awesome artist--have been a fan for almost as long as I have known of John A. Johns.
Mike you are so right, we were lucky to know the gent...
Ignacio--thanks a million! I loved the video!
Will, thanks for sharing the work of Johns! Great stuff!
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