Ouachita’s Adams Department of Art and Design to host John Deering in guest exhibit Nov. 10-Dec. 12
November 03, 2014 - Dalaney Thomas
“Self-Portrait, 2011” by John Deering. Acrylic on Paper. From the collection of Jackye and Curtis Finch, Jr.
Ouachita Baptist University’s Rosemary Adams Department of Art and Design will host
an art exhibit featuring the work of award-winning cartoonist and illustrator John
Deering. The exhibit will run Nov. 10-Dec. 12 in Ouachita’s new Rosemary Adams Gallery
in Moses-Provine Hall.
Deering, who is chief editorial cartoonist and illustrator at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, also is a sculptor, art restorer and political speaker. His exhibit at Ouachita
will feature a selection of paintings as well as comic strips from his “Strange Brew”
series.
“The word I’d use to sum up John Deering is ‘prolific,’” noted Ferris Williams, assistant
professor of Art and Design at Ouachita and a former colleague of Deering’s at the
Democrat-Gazette. “He can turn out dozens of illustrations for the newspaper, an editorial cartoon,
and has time for two syndicated cartoons, all while creating paintings and sculptures
on the side. I’m not entirely convinced there isn’t two of him.
“On top of his artistic abilities, he also has humility, a trait not common among
opinion journalists,” Williams added. “When I worked in the art department of the
Democrat-Gazette, it was a pleasure to work with him. He was always busy, but he always found the
time to come over encourage us in our work.”
Deering is a lifelong Arkansan who began working at the Arkansas Democrat in 1981 as a contributor to the “Voices” page. Within two years of creating his cartoons,
his work began winning first-place awards and Deering was promoted to chief editorial
cartoonist. With political cartoons featured in Time, Newsweek, the Sunday New York Times and appearing on broadcast networks such as ABC, Deering has received the Fischetti
Award for cartooning given by Columbia College and the Berryman Award given by the
National Press Foundation. Two of Deering’s well-known sculptures include the Arkansas
Medal of Honor Memorial at the state capitol and the sculpture of the Little Rock
Nine at Central High School.
Deering studied fine art at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He and his
wife, Kathy, live in Little Rock and have three children.
Gallery hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays, and admission is free. For more information,
contact Ferris Williams at [email protected] or (870) 245-5565.
By Dalaney Thomas
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