Over these few days the Florida Chapter of the National Cartoonists Society me in Boca Raton. We had a great time! One of the highlights was wandering Downtown Delray Beach with fellow artists Eddie Pittman and Dana Summers and his wife, Mary Jane. Most of the chapter made their way to the Downtown.

One of the stops we made was to Hands Stationers, which is mostly art store and has been in business in Delray Beach for 75 years. Liz Hughes there was a huge help with putting together the groups goody bags. We all were pciking up items there and just about all of us could make the claim of finding supplies we couldn’t find any where else. Helping that was Eddie Pittman who introduced me to a common item to the painter and uncommon to me: The paintbrush with a water cartridge that feeds the bristles.

We also stopped at The Blue Anchor British Pub. There’s quite a history to this bar involving England and Jack the Ripper. Best to click here to learn more about it. While there I tried out that paintbrush from Hands. Above is a sketch of books in the restaurant/pub.

The best highlight was everyone indulging in, comic book artist and one of my former teachers, Jose Delbo’s Argentine cookout skills Saturday night. Another highlight  was Florida troubador, Val Wisecracker, who entertained us that night. She was a HOOT! Above is Jose and Val.

Here’s Jose drawing Batman on a Tampa Bay Lightning hockey stick that attendee Robert Giordano is going to display at his Arts Center in St. Petersburg.

I got a chance to further try out that brush mentioned above when Jose’s wife, Mabelle, asked me to draw a caricature of her friend. Fellow cartoonist George Peiper asked if I’d draw an alligator picture. So I further, further tested that brush. Above is me, George and the watercolor painting I made for him that night.

Val’s music had us all drawing! Here Tom Armstrong, the cartoonist for the comic strip Marvin, and Linda Gialanella, who forecasts and cartoons the weather for Channel 10 in Tampa, sketch away!