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Letter From Our Guest Editor (view source)
Revision as of 03:16, 16 February 2021
, 03:16, 16 February 2021no edit summary
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==Article Transcript==
[[File:EF2020-3_Page_213_Page_07.jpg|266px|thumb|right|The article as it appears on page 195.]][[File:EF2020-3_Page_223_Page_08.jpg|266px|thumb|right|The article as it appears on page 20.]][[File:EF2020-3_Page_23.jpg|266px|thumb|right|The article as it appears on page 21.]][[File:EF2020-3_Page_24.jpg|266px|thumb|right|The article as it appears on page 226.]]
<pre>
“To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.”<br>
—James Baldwin (1924-1987)
</pre>
Clarence can be contacted at
CreativeDesignMind@protonmail.com
===The 411 on Our Guest Editor Clarence D. Meriweather===
'''What did you want to be when you grew up? Did you ever think you would be a caricature artist'''?<br>
I knew I wanted to be an artist since I
was a 7 or 8. I remember drawing my
father sitting on the couch. It was a
simple study but I remember asking
my momma about shadows and how
I could draw better. She always made
sure I had pencils, crayons and sketchbooks.
I also spent a lot of time in the art
section of the library.
'''So how and when did caricatures creep into your life?'''<br>
I think it crept into my life like any other
kid. I was in love with MAD Magazine
and the Usual Gang of Idiots. I used to
draw and copy the styles of Jack Davis,
John Severin, Mort Drucker, Sergio Aragones,
Al Jaffee and Don Martin. That
magazine was my classroom and they
were my teachers. I had no idea what
they were doing was exaggeration. I just
loved the art. I am a huge fan of Tom
Richmond too. He’s MAD too, just a few
generations down on the family tree.
'''If you could take a different path on the road to where you are now, what would it have been?'''<br>
I loved football as a kid. I had a growth
spurt one summer (4 inches and 30 lbs)
and had to make the decision to either
go to art school or regular high school to
play high school football.
I auditioned for the Cleveland School of
the Arts in the Summer of ´83 (I think)
and I also tried out for East Tech High
School Football. I think I woulda made
the team but I told the coach I was
going to be an artist. He immediately
yelled “Get the hell off of my field!” I
never looked back. Sometimes I wonder
what could’ve been, but I know I made
the correct decision.
'''And the road continues...where would you like to go?'''<br>
Well, COVID kinda has everything on
hold. I am just trying to stay healthy
and out of the way. Perhaps education?
I enjoy teaching art/graphic design very
much. I would love to inspire and teach
the next generation of designers of
color. Give inner-city kids like I was an
opportunity to learn to express themselves
and communicate through design.
'''What is your caricature background?'''<br>
I’m a Kaman’s Art Shoppes kid. I think
part of the rite of passage of being an
artist is working as a caricature artist
at an amusement park. You learn the
difference between art for art’s sake
and for commerce. I didn’t realize it
but those were some of the best times
of my life. I learned so much about
drawing, interacting with people, and
developing my aesthetic and style. I’ve
also made some lifetime friends and
colleagues.
In the last 5-7 years I have been doing
speed sketching with my homeboy Adam
Pate. He taught me how to take what I
knew about sketching, simplify it and do
it faster. What used to take me 3-5 min
for a black and white now takes me 1.5 - 2
min when I’m really cooking. It sharpens
your eye/hand skills. It’s also a laboratory
to try different ways of sketching. The
thing I think I miss most during this time
of COVID is drawing at live gigs and
interacting with the partygoers.
I am debating if I want to continue
drawing gigs in the current political
climate. I don’t believe it is safe for me
traveling in certain areas right now. I
hope it won’t always be like this. We’ll
see. I was never really interested in
drawing sketches electronically but
that’s where everything seems to be
heading so I’ll learn just to keep my
chops. I never want to lose my chops.
'''What else would you like people to know about you before we wrap up?'''<br>
Hmmm. I would like to learn how to draw
comic books or a graphic novel. I enjoy
telling stories and I have some ideas I
would like to bring to fruition.
I currently teach 2D Foundations at
University of Akron. That’s fun. I like my
students even though I am still finding my
footing as an instructor.
I love science fiction. I believe Star Wars
wasted a great character opportunity with
John Boyega’s character Finn. (Still ticked
about that.) I am a huge Sherlock Holmes
fan and Who-vian. I love the 4th and 11th
Doctor.
==See Also==
