October 2004

As some of you already know, on October 31, 2004, I will be
participating in the 11th Annual San Diego Triathlon Challenge in La
Jolla, California. This half-ironman triathlon (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile
bike, 13.1 mile run) is the main fundraising event for the Challenged
Athletes Foundation (CAF) which provides grants to athletes with
physical disabilities.

This event has attracted celebrities like Robin Williams, Jim Carrey and
Will Ferrell and professional athletes. It also consists of over 100
incredible challenged athletes and 450 triathletes and recreational
athletes around the U.S. I am excited and honored to be swimming,
biking and running along with them this year.

I'm getting down to the wire with my fundraising efforts and require
your help. Thank you to all those who have already supported me in my
cause, your efforts truly count!

I have pledged to raise money for the CAF as part of my participation in
the triathlon. I've also reached out to the cartooning community and
asked for their help with my fundraising effort. As a result, original
comic strips and editorial cartoons from Pulitzer prize winning artists
will be up for auction at La Jolla Cove the weekend of the event. Not
only will your contribution be in good company but it will also help to
purchase race wheel chairs, sports chairs, handcycles and prosthetic
limbs.

It is faster and easier than ever to support this great cause - you can
make a donation online by simply clicking on the link at the below.
Whatever you can give will help! I truly appreciate your support. You
really do make a difference.

Visit my CAF web site at:

http://sdtc2004.kintera.org/

Emmy Awards

Featured Website

www.spiritualcinemacircle.com

May 2004

Ah, spring!

I’ve planted a lot of seeds this year and have been nurturing some very
interesting possibilities. My wife, Danielle, and I have been really
honing our manifesting abilities. We’ve always been pretty good at
creating our lives consciously but ever since she’s started a new home
based business with Liberty League International we’ve taken more time
to slow down, visualize and watch our minds. I don’t know about you but
Danielle and I have become pretty dissatisfied with working hard and not
having a whole lot to show for it, always coming up short of the
lifestyle we dream of. Sure, we pay our bills and provide for our kids
but not much else. What we really want is to be able to live our life
to its fullest potential and have the luxury of giving back.

Liberty League International is great because it combines everything
we’ve ever learned about tapping our true potential - from Dan
Millman’s “The Way of the Peaceful Warrior” to Eckhart Tolle’s “The
Power of Now” .... from “Star Wars” to “The Matrix” - into easy step by
step exercises. And the results have blown us away.

We get to actually experience how money works as energy and how giving
back expands our capacity to receive a million fold. We’re watching
people change their annual salary into their monthly income while
creating the satisfying life of their dreams. If you’re the least bit
interested in this freeing proposition, call Danielle for information at
#800-684-9482. I have been using the exercises for my cartooning career
and the opportunities knocking sound like a herd of tap dancing
elephants.

For instance, the party caricature business is taking off. I’m looking
forward to drawing at all kinds of events this summer & fall. I’m
illustrating a children’s book with Michael Milone and Boyds Mills
Press, the trade division of Highlights for Kids. I’m collaborating on
a comic strip with veteran comic stripper and “Slylock Fox” comics for
kids creator, Bob Weber, Jr., and creating greeting cards with LPG
Greetings. And the list keeps growing.

Personally I have stepped up my training to prepare for a half iron man
triathlon, am traveling with my family to Nantasket Beach, Scarborough
beach, Cancun and San Diego, taking in some Isotopes games, swimming
with my daughter, grilling with the neighbors, sipping margaritas
poolside with Danielle, renting movies, taking long morning runs on the
beach and long open ocean swims ....

I started a watercolor class with award winning illustrator, Daniel
Powers. Daniel is a talented artist. I love what he can do with
watercolor and am looking forward to working with him. Check out
Daniel’s work at www.Powers-studio.com.

Caricature gigs allow me to get out and meet interesting people. Most
recently I had the pleasure of meeting Catalina Delgada-Trunk (a papel
picado artist), Christopher Gibson and Arturo Olivas at a big event put
together by Shelle Luaces at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in
Albuquerque, NM. “Los tres Cacajuates” as they call themselves were a
hoot. Their rifts on the southwest and spanish culture in the Americas
were brilliant and fascinating. I could have listened to them all night.

Hector Cantu & “Baldo” - Also attending this event was Hector Cantu,
co-creator with Carlos Castellanos of the nationally syndicated comic
strip “Baldo”. It’s always a pleasure and a treat for me to meet comic
strippers and it was fun talking about the business, the relentless
deadlines, the process, the rewards. Baldo is a quality strip with
beautiful art work and outstanding writing and surprisingly appearing in
only 200 papers. It’s a family oriented strip with a hispanic flare.
If you haven’t seen it go to www.ucomics.com/Baldo. You’ll be glad you
did. If your local paper doesn’t carry Baldo, contact the comics editor
and demand that it run on their comics page.

Hector was gracious enough to show, for the the first time ever, a
private screening of the Baldo animated TV show pilot to about 15 of
us. It was an amazing experience to be a privileged guest to this rare
event. It’s fun to see the characters come to life on a huge screen and
even more fun to hear them talk! Thanks Hector, you made my day!

Tri-Club of New Mexico interviewed me in its May/June 2004 issue. To
see the interview go to www.triclubnewmexico.com/news.html then click
on the May/June Newsletter.

Challenged Athletes Foundation - I am working on some celebrity and pro
triathlete caricature portraits as part of a fundraiser for the San
Diego Tri challenge. The Challenged Athletes Foundation raises millions
of dollars for prosthetics for challenged athletes. I’ll be
participating in the event this October 31, 2004 and then if I’m not
too tired I’ll draw caricatures to raise additional funds. From what
I’ve heard from athletes who have participated in the past, this is an
amazing event. It attracts hundreds of pros, challenged athletes,
amateurs and celebrities. Robin Williams has participated in the
cycling leg for his team for the last 4 years if I’m not mistaken. I’ll
be posting a sample of my San Diego Triathlon challenge Robin Williams
caricature. The original will be on hand the weekend of the event for
the silent auction bidding. There will also be prints you can own for a
donation. Keep checking back for details so you can buy one of these
pieces. It’s for a great cause.

CARTOONING CLASS - I’m teaching a cartooning class again this summer at
the Studios in Corrales, NM (details below)

AND FINALLY ....

CARTOONING
with Peter Menice

Dates - Five (5) classes - Monday through Friday, 9:00 am - 11:00 am
- Session 1 - June 7 through June 11, 2004
- Session 2 - June 21 through June 25, 2004

Class Fee - $120* (includes materials) for series of five classes
* Registration deposit of $20 is non-refundable.

Ages - 8 years & older

Class Size - 6 to 12 students

Location - the Studios, 4605 Corrales Road (across from Perea’s
Restaurant), Corrales

For more information or to register, please contact:
Peter & Danielle Menice - phone #505-890-4661

December 2003 - Happy Holidays!!

Is it just me or does everyone feel hijacked by the whole commercialized
holiday rush? Seems like just yesterday I was tucking away Halloween
for the year when Christmas sneaks up behind me and hurls me headlong
into December. It’s like being thrown onto a wild holiday theme park
roller coaster ride that goes faster and faster and won’t let you off
until the new year - that is of course if you don’t count the obligatory
15 minute break for Thanksgiving dinner. Yes, Thanksgiving has been
reduced to a quick stop on the Holiday Super Highway.

Speaking of Thanksgiving, I have much to be thankful for this holiday
season. A lot of interesting and exciting projects have been left on my
door step and when I do get caught in the holiday fever my wife and kids
are always there to bring me back to the truly wondrous moments that
matter most. My kids teach me to slow down and look at life as if for
the first time. Because for them the world is being birthed before them
each moment. I was there for the miracle of their birth and now they’re
showing me the miracle of each moment. What a gift! Who ever said,
“The best things come in small packages” wasn’t kidding. Here’s to all
the little rest areas on the Holiday Highway. May you be blessed with
many moments to stop, stretch, relax and enjoy the view.

HOLLYWOOD, NEW MEXICO - Director Joel Zwick, who hit box office Gold
with “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” called me at my home. He went on to
thank me for the “remarkable” illustration I had made for him and he
couldn’t wait to frame it to hang in his Beverly Hills office. He also
told me that it was presented to him on the set of “Elvis has Left the
Building” during the last day of production saying, “It is my most
cherished piece of this movie experience.” (see Joel’s “cherished”
illustration on the Humorous Illustration page)

What happened was that my good friend and gifted make-up artist, John
Holland, was working on the movie and asked me to make an illustration
as a gift for Joel Zwick. I got a chance to meet and talk with Joel in
person at the wrap party. Let me tell you, he’s the nicest, most
friendly, down to earth regular guy you could meet. No wonder Tom Hanks
and he are “Bosom Buddies”. Because of Joel’s graciousness, John and I
have decided to make this a regular movie experience. Every movie John
works on, I’ll be there to capture a defining moment in a Director’s
world. Hey I could be the Al Hirschfeld of the movie set. Thanks
Joel. Our conversation is the most cherished piece of my cartooning
career.

CARRIE TINGLEY HOSPITAL ART RECEPTION - It was a great turn out for the
CTH Art Reception. On display were beautiful paintings by artists of
the WPA and my murals. I had two New Mexico flavored holiday cards for
sale. They sold really well thanks to the young kids who were peddling
them around the corridors to everyone with a wallet. My 4 year old
daughter would ask, “You want to buy my dad’s cards? Ten bucks.” We
sold about 30 boxes that night. If you want some cards they’re
available at the UNM Hospital gift shop and the Coronado Mall in
Albuquerque.

HOLIDAY CARDS - Every year I get requests from businesses and
corporations to create their holiday cards. For the 2nd year I’ve done
cards for Creative Counseling and put Jeff Sumber, Founder, in the
design. This year I drew Jeff as Santa Claus with Governor Richardson
on his knee (See Humorous Illustration page). In a moment of lapsed
judgment Jeff sent a card to the Governor and guess what!? .... He loved
it! His secretary called Jeff to find out who the artist is. So
please ... if you want me to give your company the same Governor
approved treatment keep me in mind for next year. And call early to
avoid the Holiday rush.

September 2003  
  

I love this time of year. Cool nights. Warm days. Falling leaves.
Rising balloons. Though the aroma of roasting green chili enchants me
into a New Mexico state of mind, I can’t help but be pulled back to my
New England roots and giggle at the possibility of a Red Sox/Cubs World
Series. I can’t help it. It’s in my blood. It’s that time of year
when a young New England man’s fancy turns to the hopeless pursuit of
the Red Sox winning their first World Series since 1918. The
disappointment is as inevitable as the leaves falling off the trees each
autumn.

Which reminds me ...... I’ve got to rake through a sea of yellow
cottonwood leaves in my yard. GO SOX.

HARVEST FESTIVAL - A big THANKS to Intel and Leslie McNertney for having
me back a second year to draw caricatures at the Corrales Harvest
Festival. Leslie is the community Relations Manager at Intel but if I
had anything to do with it she’d be my full-time agent. She was hugely
instrumental in securing the funding for the six murals I’m currently
working on at Carrie Tingley Hospital. Thanks again Leslie. From the
bottom of my heart - you’re a true champion of the arts.

Thanks also to the 150 or so ÒsubjectsÓ who braved the heat and long lines just so I could immortalize their likenesses on paper in full color with the obligatory big head and tiny body. You people made my weekend. It was tons of fun.

Finally, my good friends, Ken & Laura, gave me credit for the pie crust recipe they used in an apple pie they entered in the FestivalÕs pie contest. ItÕs one of those crusts that is so good the filling is optional. Well I have to give credit where credit is due. This goes out to my sister-in-law, Elaine Menice, in Marshfield, Massachusetts, "We came in 3rd!!"

MURALS - I've completed three murals at Carrie Tingley Hospital in the
inpatient unit and rehabilitation waiting area. (Go to the murals page
to check them out.) Next are murals on the walls of the inpatient unit
nurse’s station, outpatient clinic and dental clinic.

The Rio 24 movie theater donated a larger than life size replica of
"Finding Nemo" ’s Bruce the shark, Marlin and Dory to Carrie Tingley
Hospital. The colorful sculpture will soon be set up in the outpatient
clinic with my underwater mural as a back drop. If you’re in the area
stop by, check out my progress and grab a colorful sample postcard.

EDITORIAL CARTOONS - See this month's installment of Hull Times cartoons.

NCS - I am now listed on the National Cartoonists Society web site.
Check out the works of my colleagues at www.reuben.org

T-SHIRTS - The 75th Anniversary Carousel T-shirts (designed by me) are
still available. Call Jake’s Seafood Restaurant at #781-925-1024 to get
yours. (See the T-shirt design on the Humorous Illustration page).

August 2003

It has been one of the hottest Julys ever in Albuquerque with record temperatures soaring well into the hundreds every day. Much like the poor hibiscus in my sweltering backyard, whose blossoms normally flower in June, we've all opted to stay inside, closed up in a deep siesta until fall. There's been a rumor of monsoons coming to drop a much needed rain on our parade, if you can call it a parade - more like a sluggish funeral procession. Thank God for swamp coolers and frozen margaritas.

My daughter and I have been visiting our local pool to beat the heat. We've been known to slip into the water sometime in the morning before the sun has stretched its branding irons over the huge row of cottonwood trees and emerge sometime in the evening when our skin has wrinkled up like the sea turtles in "Finding Nemo". My daughter, who turns 4 in August, saw "Finding Nemo" back in May and has been reciting lines from the movie ever since. In fact for the entire 10 hours we're in the pool I have to act and talk like Crush, the old surfer turtle, and she becomes Offspring, Crush's little, well, offspring. She spends a lot of time under the water wearing her cherished goggles she now calls "turtle eyes".

The heat looks like it will be letting up a little in August and we can finally take the kids on some hiking trails and do other day trips. If not we still got the pool. Grab shell dude!

PARAGON CAROUSEL - It's the 75th anniversary of the carousel at Nantasket Beach. I designed a T-shirt (see design on my Humorous Illustration page) to help raise funds for the restoration and preservation of one of Hull's beautiful landmarks. You an help preserve this antique treasure by picking up a T-shirt either at the Paragon Carousel gift shop or at Jake's Seafood Restaurant. T-shirts will be available mid-August but call either the Paragon Carousel at #781-925-0472 or Jake's at #781-925-1024 to be sure.

To read more about the Paragon Carousel's unique history log onto www.enjoy-hull.com. To check out Jake's delicious seafood menu log onto www.jakesseafoods.com.

CARTOON WORKSHOPS - I wrapped up this summer's cartoon workshop series at the Studios in Corrales, New Mexico and I have to admit those kids can DRAW! After completing a guided drawing of a crocodile in our final course, I was amazed to see 12 cool crocodiles leaping off their pages and every one of them executed beautifully in the individual style of the artist. Even in the caricature class, after a guided skewering of George W. I was immediately impressed with how everyone captured the likeness of our President with simple shapes and that each one looked unique. Each Bush was totally different yet each one was definitely Bush. I'm very proud of the students and I hope they had as much fun with the class as I did. I look forward to teaching the Fall 2003 cartooning series tentatively scheduled to begin September 25th. Contact me for more information.

GET FACED AT YOUR NEXT PARTY!!!! Don't worry - it's completely safe, MADD approved and a whole lot of fun. I am available to draw caricatures (those silly cartoon pictures that look more like you than your photos ..... or at least your driver's license!) at your next big party, event or intimate gathering. If you live in the Albuquerque/Santa Fe area that is. If not you may have to spring for air fare. Contact me for complete details.

MURALS - I'm still painting 5 murals, funded by Intel, at Carrie Tingley Hospital. If you haven't stopped by to check them out please do, say "Hi" and pick up a colorful cartoon card from me. If you have stopped by, thanks. It's fun for me to be out in public interacting .... being cooped up in the studio can take its toll after awhile.

While putting some finishing touches on one mural in the hallway of the inpatient unit, I was visited by Albuquerque Journal photographer, Pat Cunningham, on assignment to take pictures of me and the mural. It was nice to hear that Pat is a big fan of my work especially my editorial cartoons from the Weekly Alibi. We were engaged in a lively conversation about political cartooning when he was called to do another assignment asap. Pat left without taking my picture ... oh well. We'll have to continue our "talk on toons" some other time. Meanwhile freelance photographer for the Journal, Rick Scibelli, shot the photo that appeared in the Albuquerque Journal on the 4th of July. (see Rick's pic). I was also interviewed by two TV news stations that day thanks to the hospital's public relations office. I'm getting some publicity.

Carrie Tingley Hospital is a great place to paint murals. The staff is friendly, easy to work with and some of the nicest people I've ever met. I'm really enjoying being the "Artist in Residence" and getting to know the patients & families, answering questions about the murals, giving mini tutorials and sharing in the process of making art. Hospital mural painting is truly one of the most rewarding aspects of my cartooning career.

Now that I've been covering the walls at CTH with my whimsical characters it's only natural that I continue with that "look" and create Carrie Tingley Hospital holiday cards. Dr. Sherman, CTH Medical Director, approached me with this opportunity and I've been sketching ideas for it ever since. I'm trying to get into the "Holiday Spirit" but I admit the task is a bit daunting. I feel like Mel Torme must have felt when he wrote the classic "The Christmas Song" during a Los Angeles heat wave. How did he do that?

June 2003

After training for about a year, I finally ran my first triathlon, the Jay Benson, a sprint tri held on Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I had a blast!! It was a great fun way to bring all that training to a crescendo finish. I wanted to come in under an hour but found the swim, which had been my strongest training event, somewhat difficult to navigate in the pool. I wasn't prepared for the frenzied free-for-all and found myself in a bottleneck jam of six other swimmers. I wasn't able to pass and my usual 5 minutes per 400 meters was stretched to 12 minutes ..... oh well ... It was a great learning experience. I will now adjust my training to fit more real race conditions. I can't wait for the next one.

My strip "Daley Catch" has been developing at a nice pace. It's received a great response, i.e., laughs in the right places, from my fellow writers at our monthly writer's workshop. When I've amassed enough material I will begin to post them on the comic strip page. I'll let you know when that happens.

Murals - I will be painting more murals at Carrie Tingley Hospital (Albuquerque) on the inpatient unit and in 3 clinics starting in June. Come by and say "Hi"..... and pick up a colorful cartoon card from me.

GET FACED AT YOUR NEXT PARTY!!!! Don't worry - it's completely safe, MADD approved and a whole lot of fun. I am available to draw caricatures (those silly cartoon pictures that look more like you than your photos ..... or at least your driver's license!) at your next big party, event or intimate gathering. If you live in the Albuquerque/Santa Fe area that is. If not you may have to spring for air fare. Contact me for complete details.

For those aspiring cartoonists, I'm also available to teach private cartooning classes in the Albuquerque and Santa Fe area. Contact me for details.

CARTOONING WORKSHOPS - June & July 2003 in Corrales, New Mexico

1. Introduction to Caricature
   Saturday, June 28, 2003, 9 am to 12 noon
   
   Cartoonists in training will study facial features of a well known
   public figure, reduce the features to simple shapes and, with a step by
   step guided drawing, create cartoon celebrity caricature.
   
   
2. Cartooning as a Way of Expressing Your Idea
   Saturday, July 12, 2003, 9 am to 12 noon
   
   Students will construct a cartoon using simple techniques to express
   their idea with maximum effect. Skills covered will include writing,
   composition and caricature.
   
   
3. Putting It All Together: Color Cartoon Caricature
   Saturday, July 19, 2003, 9 am to 12 noon
   
   Students will caricature a celebrity using simple shapes, make a
   statement using composition and create depth using shading and coloring
   techniques.

Workshop fee - $35* (includes materials)
*Any student who pre-registers for all three workshops before June 27 will get a $15 discount, i.e., $90 for three workshops. Registration deposit of $20 is non-refundable.

Ages - 9 years & older

Workshop size - 6 to 12 students

Location - the Studios, 4605 Corrales Road, Corrales
(across from Perea's Restaurant)

For more information or to register, please contact:
Peter & Danielle Menice - phone #890-4661