After quite a long pause in posts; I have returned to share my exciting time at the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa, CA. Last Saturday, I had the honor & pleasure of being the Cartoonist in Residence at this "Mecca" for most cartoonists. I presented my "Cartooning & Comics" program and drawing demonstration in the main theater, followed by a "Hamster Sam" book signing and "Meet the Cartoonist" reception in the Gallery atrium. I did sketches, signed & sold books and talked with a really enthusiastic bunch of cartooning fans; both young and old. When I say "old", I simply mean "big kids" like myself. If you are a fan of Peanuts, or comic strips in general- then you need to visit this wonderland of comics history; as it is much more than merely a gallery to show off Mr. Schulz's work- which is in itself astonishing to say the least. The complex comprises 3 different buildings: The 2-story colorfully themed gift shop was the original museum, and still displays classic Peanuts history upstairs. Snoopy, as a WWI flying ace, soars over the gift shop from above in his giant Sopwith Camel! Next door is Snoopy's Home Ice; a skating rink that includes the Warm Puppy Cafe. My family and I ate lunch (the kids meal comes in a dog dish!) and watched a hockey game through the glass. Mr. Schulz was a Minnesota native and loved to play hockey. A table near the stone fireplace was where Mr. Schulz himself ate his breakfast and lunches. And finally, the new museum; finished in 2002, houses galleries of original Peanuts strips and features his drawing studio, re-created with drawing table, thumb-tacked family photos on a dark paneled wall, memorabilia given to Mr. Schulz over the years and a portion of his own personal library. So much to see. As a teaching artist, the one thing that I internally applauded was the education room. Here, visitors are encouraged to draw Charlie Brown and his gang, and to develop their own cartooning skills. Cartoon art classes and summer programs are offered by local artists. It is clear that the educational goal is to encourage, teach and celebrate the art of cartooning while paying tribute to the great American artist who made all of this possible. For those who are casual fans of cartooning and Peanuts- you will thoroughly enjoy your visit. For someone who draws cartoons as a hobby or for a living, you will be in awe. For me it was all of this and more; it was unforgettable and inspiring.
After quite a long pause in posts; I have returned to share my exciting time at the Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa, CA. Last Saturday, I had the honor & pleasure of being the Cartoonist in Residence at this "Mecca" for most cartoonists. I presented my "Cartooning & Comics" program and drawing demonstration in the main theater, followed by a "Hamster Sam" book signing and "Meet the Cartoonist" reception in the Gallery atrium. I did sketches, signed & sold books and talked with a really enthusiastic bunch of cartooning fans; both young and old. When I say "old", I simply mean "big kids" like myself. If you are a fan of Peanuts, or comic strips in general- then you need to visit this wonderland of comics history; as it is much more than merely a gallery to show off Mr. Schulz's work- which is in itself astonishing to say the least. The complex comprises 3 different buildings: The 2-story colorfully themed gift shop was the original museum, and still displays classic Peanuts history upstairs. Snoopy, as a WWI flying ace, soars over the gift shop from above in his giant Sopwith Camel! Next door is Snoopy's Home Ice; a skating rink that includes the Warm Puppy Cafe. My family and I ate lunch (the kids meal comes in a dog dish!) and watched a hockey game through the glass. Mr. Schulz was a Minnesota native and loved to play hockey. A table near the stone fireplace was where Mr. Schulz himself ate his breakfast and lunches. And finally, the new museum; finished in 2002, houses galleries of original Peanuts strips and features his drawing studio, re-created with drawing table, thumb-tacked family photos on a dark paneled wall, memorabilia given to Mr. Schulz over the years and a portion of his own personal library. So much to see. As a teaching artist, the one thing that I internally applauded was the education room. Here, visitors are encouraged to draw Charlie Brown and his gang, and to develop their own cartooning skills. Cartoon art classes and summer programs are offered by local artists. It is clear that the educational goal is to encourage, teach and celebrate the art of cartooning while paying tribute to the great American artist who made all of this possible. For those who are casual fans of cartooning and Peanuts- you will thoroughly enjoy your visit. For someone who draws cartoons as a hobby or for a living, you will be in awe. For me it was all of this and more; it was unforgettable and inspiring.