This pic of me was done by my "big Brother" MEL LATROP who guided me through the zany waters of my very first NCN convention years ago. Going to an NCN Convention for the first time can be an overwhelming experience to say in the least. It's somewhat inconceivable at first, to realize that so MANY people around the country and WORLD are doing exactly what you're doing an MUCH BETTER, MUCH FASTER,and MORE IMAGINATIVELY!! LOL! The NCN opened up my mind to the possibility of what i could actually DO with the art of caricature, opened my eyes to the world of extreme exaggeration, and revolutionized my approach to the art form. I will always be grateful to MEL for making me feel comfortable and at home in this environment those few initial hours. I didn't really know anyone, and he was so welcoming and generous with his information that he gave me that added boost of confidence that I needed to socialize in that unfamiliar place. In subsequent years, he also gave me a much needed laugh when i was feeling somewhat down. I recall one year when I had done some of my best work and maybe had a chance of winning or at least placing in the Blk and Wht category, but for some odd reason I added one color swatch to my drawings, thus making them a "color" drawing and putting me out of the running! MEL hilariously pointed that fact out in such a way that made me laugh when i wanted to cry...
The one thing I admire about MEL artistically is that he isn't afraid to experiment. Mel is an "old timer" age wise, like me, and sometimes to be honest, us Old timers can be "set in our ways" creatively speaking. Mel is quick to experiment with new mediums and keep learning whether it be pastel, colored chalk prismacolor, marker, or this digital paining style here. He inspires this old dinosaur to keep moving before I become extinct!
