Biography

One fine brisk morn back in December of '36 I came sqwallin' into this world a splittin' image of myself. I was born and raised on a Dairy, what gave me a firsthand dealins' with cowology. Those critters has got a mind of their own when they don't cater to no human direction. Started Toonin' about the age of 10. First one was about my Ol' Dad. Got a lot of rcoginition on that one ifn' you git my drift! Never did have no formal training, so I spent a lot of hours when not earning a living at various jobs teaching myself the art of cartooning. Took on freelance jobs in the local area just for the experience. For a couple of years I did a once a week sports cartoon for the Yakima Herald. Sent a lot of gag cartoons to major magazines and papered the wall with rejection letters. Sold my first freelance cartoon back in 69' to SRI Publishing Co. in Fort Worth, Texas. Scribbled up a passle of adult type toons for those boys nigh on five years. In 1975 I hooked up with some CBers and doodled up some 600 masters for them. Those dudes about drove me bonkers cause the CB Cards they made from the master drawings were collectables. That's because the masters were numbered. In 1980 I landed a steady job as a staff cartoonist designing novelty tee shirts. Thought I died and went to Heaven when I got hired as a real live cartoonist until three years later as I was pullin' my hair out while burpin' beer! Went back to the freelance relm. Less stress! Got me a big high in June of 1993. Got myself invited as a guest artist at the "Cowboy Cartoonists International Humor Expo" in Cody, wyoming. Thats when I won a "Gold Medal" in the black and white catagory. "Cowboy Cartoonists International" signatured as "CCi" consists of those witty dudes who doodle up those funny western greeting cards for Leanin' Tree". Once again I met up with the Cowboy Cartoonists as they inducted me into their fine organization. December of 2006 I became a member of the "Cowboy Cartoonists International" which I might say was one of my proudest moments. Well there it is, a quick rundown of my ventures as a cartoonist. I'm a little older, sorer in the joints, but still going strong and havin' a great time! Take Care and God Bless!       Jim Lisk

"My Earliest Cartoons"
This drawing was done in or around 1967 give or take five years. I was working for U.S. Rubber Company in Yakima, Washington as a tire retreader. I was a member of Union Local 524 and an active Blood Donor. The Local needed a Logo for a huge blood drive that was challenging another Union Local. Myself along with others in recap shop were Galloniers. One of the local TV stations featured the drawing along with a discription of me. The recognition brought in a few more assignments but not any $$$$$ to speak of. But the experience was reward enough. Ten years I worked in that hot sweaty place before it closed it's doors.
In 1974 I landed a job at White Swan Moulding Co. in White Swan, Washington which is 30 miles southwest of Yakima, Washington. The company was owned and operated by the Hitchcock family. Morris Hitchcock the owner and CEO took a liking to me and itroduced me to his wife Kathern who published a little monthly magazine called the SawDust. For the three years I worked there I did a cartoon a month in my spare time about someone in the plant. My preference was to pick on the bosses as I did in this drawing with the guy talking to the skeleton. Leroy was one of the foreman that if he could converse you into leaning a ear his way he would talk it off or better yet talk you to death.
In 1976 I was invited to the White House The visit netted me this gift from Betty Ford  Click Here To See Why Samples of QSL Cards

Click on one of those thumbnail images below If'n you all have a hankerin' to view a larger image of what kinda designs I used to scribble up when I were a "Staff Cartoonist" for those novelty t-shirt printin' outfits.
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Notice that some of these thumbnails will give you a view of designs I created for a few Colleges

The Skeleton In My Closet

When I mentioned SRI Publishing Company I was refering to an outfit that published magazines that were sold mostly at truck stops for those hefty dudes who liked to tell, hear or view a good Ol' American dirty joke. Only SRI did one better they told those offcolored jokes with an illustration. That's where hungry cartoonists like me came into the picture. For $5 a drawing I got published and thus catapolted into the ranks of a pro.I could have left out this part of my cartooning history and noone would have known the difference. But I feel the whole picture is much more interesting than only a portion. I sketched up offcolored adult jokes for SRI (that I thought up) for five years in my spare time. There was plenty of ideas floating around in the production plants I worked at (between 1968 and 1973) to keep one supplied for a long time. Don't think I ever worked at a plant that didn't have at least one or two truckers come in who had that naughty cartoon drawing folded up in his pocket that he wanted to share with anyone who would take a look at it. In those days the drawings were more of a softer nature in graphic rendering then what is floating around today (2008)! You could call this portion of my Biography the Skeleton in my Closet!   Note: All cartoon animations on this website were created by yours truly!