Showing posts with label Bethesda. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bethesda. Show all posts

Thursday, June 11, 2026

June 4 - Aug 31: Anderson and Luckovich political cartoon exhibit in Bethesda


I’m honored to be part of the Amy Kaslow Gallery’s America at 250 exhibition series, featuring original political cartoons and artwork examining America at a pivotal moment in its history.

The exhibition, *What’s So Funny?*, showcases the work of myself and Mike Luckovich, highlighting the uniquely American tradition of political cartooning and visual commentary. The show explores the absurdities, contradictions, and challenges facing the nation as we approach America’s 250th anniversary.

If you’re in the Washington, D.C. area, stop by. The exhibit should be showing until the end of August.

Amy Kaslow Gallery, Bethesda, Maryland

Exhibition runs June 4 – August 31, 2026

Opening reception: June 11 (today—sorry for the late notice!)

Political cartoons have always been America’s visual conversation with itself, sometimes funny, sometimes uncomfortable, but always intended to provoke thought. I’m honored to have my work included in this exhibition.

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WHAT'S SO FUNNY ? NICK ANDERSON AND MIKE LUCKOVICHJUNE 4 - JULY 19, 2026OPENING RECEPTION JUNE 11, 2026
https://amykaslowgallery.com/show/amy-kaslow-gallery-whats-so-funny


 Chronicling over half of US history, the comic strip is a uniquely American art form. Ever since the scrappy slang-spewing bald headed Yellow Kid from Hogan's Alley appeared in 1895’s New York newsprint exposing urban immigrant squalor, the American audience has feasted on illustrated social commentary in a box.  Often the readers’ first go-to, the comics fueled newspaper sales and competition between publishers, all pushing to be the most entertaining. Full weekday pages and entire Sunday sections featured dozens of comic strips (color reserved for weekends), many with dramatic storylines that pulled devotees from one day to the next.  Popularizing characters spawned a rich mixture of American cartoon and caricature: from waxed paper comics lining bubble-gum wrappers to urbane sketches in The New Yorker.  The genre even earned the ultimate badge of Americana with a seminal United States Postal Service stamp design honoring the newspaper comic strip. By the 1990s, a national museum of cartoon art opened and closed, but importantly became the largest collection of cartoon art at the US Library of Congress. It's a national treasure trove with depictions that mirror history. Cartoonists have long plied us with simple, often scorching visuals.  Today, on America's 250th birthday, we feature the finest in contemporary narrative imagery. Syndicated cartoonists Nick Anderson and Mike Luckovich take daily swipes in newspapers. Their mastery of this cross-generational American tradition, considered among the most prized and beloved of homegrown art forms, jumps off the page. In quizzical, often playful ways, these artists visually journal the absurdities of America at 250, and summon us to reflect and repair.
 
We are excited to exhibit two Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonists who fill our gallery walls this spring into summer with some of the finest lampoons. “What’s So Funny?” includes original drawings as well as enlarged, signed and dated editions. The artists address the most pressing issues of the day. Their delivery may startle, puzzle, even prompt you to reflect. That’s what they’re meant to do.  Join us June 11th from 6pm - 7:30pm for the opening of "What's So Funny?" Kindly RSVP below if you plan to attend. This exhibition is part of our America 250 programming. Learn more about our exhibitions and happenings, beginning June 4th.  
    
  VIEW THE FULL EXHIBITION


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Mike here - all the art is prints, according to the link to the full exhibition.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Meet a Local Comics Writer: A Chat with Davy Shian


I noticed an different-looking comic on the counter of Big Planet Comics Bethesda this fall. When I asked about it, it turns out it was written by a man working in the florist shop around the corner. I made it over there a couple of weeks later and met Davy Shian, the author of Cicada: Exotic Views. He kindly answered my interview questions.

ComicsDC: What type of comic work or cartooning do you do? Or rather, why did you decide to write a comic book?

Davy Shian: I love cicadas. When I learned that so many Americans had misgivings on cicadas, I decided to write something about the cicadas that would help them see the beauty and wonder in the little bugs. I’ve chosen a cartoon format to keep it light and humorous. If I can’t change people’s views, I hope I would at least entertain them. In addition, I would like to use the opportunity to show some differences in cultures, and show that people see things differently.

How do you do it? Traditional pen and ink, computer or a combination?

I did not do the drawing because I was not trained for it. I gave the opportunity to an art student in China* and let her show what she could do. I used PowerPoint and email to communicate what I would like to show and the student would draw based on it.  

When (within a decade is fine) and where were you born? 
I was born in Taiwan in 1953. 

Why are you in Washington now?  What neighborhood or area do you live in?

I came to the D.C. area in 1967 and lived in Montgomery County since 1968.

What is your training and/or education in cartooning?
I had no training in arts. I majored in Computer Science. I had a strong background in Quality and Project Management. I used my Project Management skill in creating this book.

Who are your influences?
No one in particular influenced me. It was the ordinary people around me that influenced me. I like to watch people around me.

If you could, what in your career would you do-over or change?
I liked my career and there was no thought of changing it.

What work are you best-known for?
My only book so far is “Cicada: Exotic Views.”

What work are you most proud of?
My programming work for the “bubble chart,”  My program instructed the computer to draw a computer network chart based on the network configuration. My other accompishment was my Quality Management duty that got my company to obtain the ISO9001 certification.

What would you like to do  or work on in the future?
I am thinking of producing another comic book.  It will not be based on drawing though; it will be based on photos. This time the subject will be more interesting; it is about a baby.  I would love to find a partner to produce this book.

What do you do when you're in a rut or have writer's block?

I spent most of time doing things my wife asked me to do, like cleaning the house.
What do you think will be the future of your field?

My wife has a flower shop, and I will do what ever she wants me to do there.

What's your favorite thing about DC?

I like the weather in DC and seeing different cultures in DC.

Least favorite?

I do not like the traffic, and not finding a parking space.

What monument or museum do you like to take visitors to?

Every time when friends and relatives visited, I became a tour guide.   I would take them to all monuments and museums so that they could take all the photos they could and said “being there”.

How about a favorite local restaurant?

My wife loves to try on different restaurants, and I just follow her.  I love basic Chinese food and American food.

Do you have a website or blog?

I have a website on my cicada book.  It is www.cicadacomicbook.com

*CORRECTION: The student that did the artwork was previously misidentified as being from Taiwan; she is from China. ComicsDC regrets the error.