Me and caricature
I still remember the instance when at the age of five, I was trying to draw a rose. My final drawing comprised several round scribbles with a stick stem. But when another child commented that the scribbles looked like petals I was amazed. From that moment on all I wanted to do was to figure out how to make lines into objects. I used to draw all the time at school, even when I should have been working. The most obvious thing to draw was the teacher! That was how I learnt caricature and its various nuances. I was constantly surprised by the praise I received for my drawings. Doing caricatures professionally wasn't a difficult move for me - from drawing teachers I simply went on to draw politicians at the News Limited newspapers. I worked for ten years under the name Applegate!
Awards are just a small part of artistic fulfilment
Winning awards has been a humbling experience. I was named the Best Artist at the Queensland Media Awards on four occasions; Best Artist, Best Caricaturist and Best Realistic Illustration at the Stanley Awards for Media and NSW Journalist Best Artwork as well as dozens of other media art awards.
After leaving the newspaper world in 2001, I was encouraged to take my interests overseas. From 2002 I worked in China as a caricature entertainer. I believe you have to be passionate about everything you do to do it well. I have also enjoyed exhibiting around the world, travelling to South America, India, Spain, China and Turkey.
Caricature is about facial recognition and a caricaturist understands that. We all have the ability to recognise faces but are not aware of the thought process that is instinctive to us all from birth. I look for the features on a face that I recognise in that person and then I exaggerate them. A caricature looks more like the person than a regular drawing as it mimics the way the brain sees faces. I then add my feelings and what I want to say about that person. If I feel strongly about the subject then the caricature is strong. That is what makes caricature powerful as it can be more honest than some subjects are comfortable with. Most caricatures take minutes to draw but there is a lot of thinking going on before I put pen to paper. Once the face is in my head, it is easily transferred to paper. There is nothing as enjoyable as to give a colleague, family member, friend or client a caricature of themselves!
My Dubai sojourn
I used to lived in JBR at a time when it wasn't very populated and we often had the beach to ourselves. The apartment also offered great sea views.
My Dubai stint included teaching caricature at several schools, which was great fun. I found that the kids in the UAE are very open and confident. I also did caricatures at the Atlantis, which was a successful venture and I wish it could have continued.
My main project at that time was drawing caricatures of people across Dubai. I wanted to find a way to meet and connect with people of all nationalities and cultures. I and a fellow artist went around Dubai covering the fish market, souqs, clubs, barber shops, restaurants, building sites, camel farms and the Dubai Financial Centre. We drew caricatures and gave them away in return for a photo.
Laughter is the best medicine
I don't think people have forgotten to laugh - in fact, we look for opportunities to laugh as much as possible. The stresses of life make it vital that we take time out to lighten up. As a caricaturist I love to make people laugh.
Family is top priority
I returned to Australia to be with my family. As much as I love to travel, the only place I belong is where my family is. I had to constantly return to Australia from Dubai when my daughters had their kids! I have seven grandchildren and they're my priority. I'll always travel and look for adventure and I hope this will teach them that the world is a wonderful place and that they can do anything they set their minds to.
Quick questions
One secret to living life to the fullest...
Don't take yourself too seriously, no one else does!
Who is your all-time favourite caricature artist?
Sebastian Kruger who made caricature to be recognised as a fine art.
Things that you love and hate about Dubai?
I love the drama and its crazy originality. Hate is too harsh a word but I was disappointed that the financial crisis caused the worst to come out in some people. I hope that one day Dubai will welcome back people who wanted to be a part of the city in spirit or even if just for the money.
Can computer animation replace the art of caricature?
No way. Nothing replaces the hand of an artist.
Interviewer Anupama V Chand is a Dubai-based freelancer
