Patrick McDonnell

For the comedian, see Patrick McDonnell (actor). For the Cork hurler, see Pat McDonnell.
Patrick McDonnell

Patrick McDonnell and his dog Amelie

Patrick McDonnell (born March 17, 1956) is the creator of the daily comic strip Mutts. His picture book about the childhood of Jane Goodall, Me…Jane, won a Caldecott Honor in 2012. He is currently writing the screenplay for an animated feature film which is in development with Twentieth Century Fox. Prior to creating MUTTS, McDonnell had a successful career as a freelance illustrator, drawing the Russell Baker Observer column for the New York Times Sunday Magazine from 1978-1993. He also created Bad Baby, a monthly comic strip for Parents Magazine, which ran for 10 years. During that time he also was a regular contributor to Sports Illustrated, Reader's Digest, Forbes, Time and many other national magazines. His work has been animated for television commercials, most notably a PSA for the NY Philharmonic. He is coauthor of Krazy Kat: The Comic Art of George Herriman, published in 1986 by Abrams.

Early life

McDonnell was born in Edison, New Jersey, from an Irish father and a italian-descendent mother.[1] After graduating from Edison High School in 1974, McDonnell attended the School of Visual Arts on scholarship,[2] graduating in 1978.

Career

McDonnell began a career as a magazine illustrator and would frequently include a dog in the background of his illustrations.[3] Moving to Hoboken, New Jersey, he met a group of underground cartoonists such as Peter Bagge and Kazimieras G. Prapuolenis (Kaz), and had some of his earliest drawings appearing in The Village Voice, and as Jerseyana in New Jersey Monthly magazine.[4] A book of his life and work, Mutts: The Comic Art of Patrick McDonnell, was published in 2003 by Abrams Publishing.

McDonnell is involved with many animal and environmental charities. His characters have been enlisted by the United States Marines (2006 Toys for Tots holiday poster), the American Library Association (2007 ‘Read!' poster), and by The HSUS (humane postage stamps). The MUTTS characters appear on the New Jersey Animal Friendly license plates which fund state pet population programs. The 2007-2008 MAZDASPEED Team featured MUTTS-themed vehicles promoting pet adoption and the work of The Humane Society of the United States.

In 2009 collaborated with author Eckhart Tolle to create Guardians of Being, a philosophical book about nature and the present moment.[5] In 2011, McDonnell's children's book Me...Jane was published. It is a story about naturalist Jane Goodall growing up and her awakening curiosity about the lives of animals around her. Me, Jane won a Caldecott Honor in 2012.

Personal life

McDonnell has been a vegetarian for over 20 years.[6] McDonnell is also a member of the Board of Directors of The Humane Society of the United States, The Fund for Animals and The Charles M. Schulz Museum . McDonnell and his wife Karen reside in New Jersey,[7] with their dog Amelie, and their cat, Not Ootie. Their Jack Russell, Earl, who was the inspiration and constant muse for the Mutts character of the same name, died in November 2007 after living with Patrick for over 18 years.[8]

Awards

Books

  1. MUTTS (1996)
  2. Cats & Dogs (1997)
  3. More Shtuff (1998)
  4. Yesh! (1999)
  5. Our MUTTS (2000)
  6. A Little Look-See (2001)
  7. What Now (2002)
  8. I Want To Be The Kitty! (2003)
  9. Dog-Eared (2004)
  10. Who Let The Cat Out? (2005)
  11. Everyday MUTTS: A Comic Strip Treasury (2006) (Sundays in color)
  12. Animal Friendly: A MUTTS Treasury (2007) (Sundays in color)
  13. Call of The Wild: A MUTTS Treasury (2008) (Sundays in color)
  14. Stop and Smell the Roses: A MUTTS Treasury (2009) (Sundays in color)
  15. Earl & Mooch: A MUTTS Treasury (2010) (Sundays in color)
  16. Our little Kat King: A MUTTS Treasury (2011) (Sundays in color)
  17. Bonk!: A MUTTS Treasury (2012) (Sundays in color)
  18. The Skunk (2015) (Roaring Brook Press)

MUTTS Sunday Collections (large format, in color)

Children's books

Other

References

  1. ↑ Fiamma, Andrea (September 5, 2014). "20 anni di Mutts. Intervista a Patrick McDonnell" (in Italian). Fumettologica. Retrieved March 16, 2016.
  2. ↑ Conte, Annemarie. "His Name is Earl". New Jersey Monthly. February 6, 2008. Accessed June 21, 2011. "After graduating from New York's School of Visual Arts in the early 1980s, McDonnell moved to Hoboken, where there was a community of underground cartoonists."
  3. ↑ Hurley-Schubert. "Middlesex County cartoonist's pets inspire comic strip". Home News Tribune. July 21, 2003. Accessed June 21, 2011. "McDonnell a 1974 Edison High School graduate started his career as a magazine illustrator. He always drew a little dog somewhere in the background..."
  4. ↑ Conte, Annemarie. "His Name is Earl". New Jersey Monthly. February 6, 2008. Accessed June 21, 2011. "After graduating from New York's School of Visual Arts in the early 1980s, McDonnell moved to Hoboken, where there was a community of underground cartoonists."
  5. ↑ MacQueen, Ken (October 22, 2009). "Eckhart Tolle vs. God". Maclean's.
  6. ↑ Ritchie, Ryan (July–August 2010). "One on One with Patrick McDonnell". Vegetarian Times. Retrieved 2 January 2015.
  7. ↑ "Where the Mild Things Are". The New York Times. 2005-09-25.
  8. ↑ Smith, Joan Lowell. "Parting is sweet sorrow for 'Mutts' creator". The Star-Ledger. April 2, 2008. Accessed June 21, 2011. "Earl, the Jack Russell terrier who was both companion and inspiration for "Mutts" creator Patrick McDonnell, died in November at age 19."
  9. ↑ "Division Awards Newspaper Strip". National Cartoonists Society. 2013. Archived from the original on December 16, 2013. Retrieved December 16, 2013.

External links

Media related to Patrick McDonnell at Wikimedia Commons

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