Several weeks ago we received and intriguing email…
Dear Newburyport Today
I love your website! I am an artist & cartoonist living in Newburyport.
I notice that you have no cartoons on your website and I would be interested in submitting my cartoons.
Sincerely
Daniel Rindge
Now a small tip to those that may want to write us, this is an excellent way to begin a note. While he had us at “Love your website” we were definitely curious about his cartoons. After a few more emails back and forth we decided that it would be great to have a cartoon or two that had a real Newburyport theme. Daniel graciously complied by supplying the cartoon below. We were impressed and interested to learn more about this artist and he was kind enough to answer some interview questions. We are so glad we asked! We also hope to be able to feature his cartoons more frequently on our site.
Created for Newburyport-Today by Daniel Rindge
NBPT Today: What brought you to Newburyport and how long have you been here?
DR:I have been a resident of Newburyport for the past 25 years. My mother and step-father live in West Newbury. I moved to the area to be close to them. Before I was living in Holliston MA, but I grew up in Ware MA. I love Newburyport . Newburyport is so pretty with such a long history. Also there is such an active community with residents who care about their city. I have met so many talented interesting Newburyporters who are artists,writers, actors, musicians etc. I love the vibrant restaurant and music scene. It is just such a great place to live. I wish I had discovered Newburyport sooner.
NBPT-Today: When did you start drawing cartoons? Has it always been of interest to you?
DR: I have always loved drawing. When I very young my parents gave me a big pad of newsprint paper so I could draw every day. I took art classes and studied painting, water colors and printing. I went Westminster College in PA. I majored in Art. I was very involved in era-curricular activities. I was the staff artist for the college radio station, college newspaper and student government. For the student government i did caricatures of all the professors. I was in college during the Watergate scandal and did many political cartoons and caricatures of President Nixon.
After college I worked as a graphic artist for an industrial silk screen company. I designed logos and designed artwork for tee shirts etc. While recovering from a broken hip I spent hours cartooning.
When I moved into the Newburyport area I discovered a local newspaper THE PORT PLANET. After an interview with the publisher, Dennis Metrano, I was hired as the PLANET”S cartoonist. It has been fun to do cartooning. Also I started my own tee shirt company which also uses many of my cartoons.That has also been a fun project. I always get nice comments from people when I am wearing one of my shirts. They enjoy the jokes.
NBPT-Today: Do you do any other type of art?
DR: I also do graphic design, illustration and paint murals. As a freelance artist I have illustrated several children’s books. I have designed logos for small companies. Several years ago I was asked to paint a mural for Shaw’s Supermarket in Newburyport. I also do oil painting and water colors.
NBPT-Today: Where do you submit your cartoons to?
DR: For the past several years I have been submitting my cartoons to magazines and newspapers. Also I have been submitting them to Cartoon Syndicates such as Tribune Media, King Features Syndicate and United Features Syndicate. The syndicates distribute the cartoons you see in your local newspapers, such as THE DAILY NEWS. In the past I received a very positive responses from Tribune Media and The Washington Post Syndicate. Being syndicated is the holy grail of the cartoon world.
NBPT-Today: What life experiences do you find most easily translate to cartooning?
DR: I have found that there are funny things everywhere if you look for them. I have an active imagination and a good sense of humor so I find many things that can be turned into cartoons. I enjoy puns and wordplay that can be used as cartoons. I find that expressions can have multiple meanings. ” Afraid Knot” can also be ” Afraid not” “A Frayed Knot’ etc. It is a lot of fun to come up with witty ideas that would work as cartoons.
NBPT-Today: Do you have any recurring characters or themes that you like to use in your cartooning?
DR: I have enjoyed using Clams and Aardvarks in my cartoons. I have done many Clam jokes such as “Clam Dip” “Clam Strips” also Aardvarks have many funny qualities.
NBPT Today: Is there anything else you would like to share with Newburyport-Today about your cartoons?
DR: One of things I enjoy most about cartooning is making people smile! It is such fun to share my sense of humor and to cheer up people.
