I’ve crafted this portrait of cartooning compadre Bob Kathman in an effort to draw attention to his plight. Seems this master craftsman of the cartoon arts has suffered a stroke in recent weeks, leaving him physically discomBobulated (temporarily, I assume - he is still a strapping youngster of 63).
I got to know Bob when he asked me to contribute to Flock of Dreamers, an anthology of cartoons he edited with Saša Rakezić during the dream comics renaissance of the 1990s. I was appropriately thrilled with the invitation, but especially excited to be introduced to Kathman’s work. The dreams he documents are deeply delirious, full of the kind of hilarious subconscious invention you’d expect from an artist as creative as Bob. Better still, on meeting Kathman in person, I found him to be just as charming and wildly inquisitive as his work suggested.
Bob still runs the Flock of Dreams Facebook group, an online salon for those of us ever puzzling over our nighttime adventures. From his sketchbook postings there, I have lifted much of the imagery that appears in the drawing above, including an important reminder about the therapeutic value of chair stacking:
But Bob’s going to need more than stacked chairs. His wife Patty has set up a fundraiser for the ongoing costs of his recovery. As an extra incentive for you to help, if you send me a screenshot confirmation of your donation, I will send you a full-color, 11 x 14 print of my Kathman portrait. Please give if you can. I really want this guy to get back in gear and back to his drawing board.
And whatever you do, make the adult choice and select the non-bunk bed.
- A.H.
(And let’s not forget Ashley’s website, jam-packed with portraits and other drawings, his highly-affordable prints and books currently available, his eagerness for your portrait commission, and his contact email, thrdgll@gmail.com, where he longs to hear from you.)