This weekend, longtime Omaha World-Herald editorial cartoonist Jeff Koterba will cartoon live for guests at Gallery 72 off Vinton Street.
Koterba draws a new cartoon five days a week. We caught up with him as has was watercoloring the final touches on his political cartoon for Friday's paper. His work has been published and viewed all over the country.
In 2010, his work even made a trip to outer space, with Nebraska native astronaut Clay Anderson, on board the International Space Station. Through it all, Koterba stays connected to his home. He's drawn thousands of cartoons since joining the World-Herald in 1989, fitting, as that's where his artistic inspiration started as a child.
"I would copy Snoopy out of the Sunday World-Herald comics and then my dad would scold me because I needed to come up with my own characters," Koterba said. "He was really big on being original."
Koterba is one of about 40 full time newspaper cartoonists across the country, a rare breed. Even more rare in a age of computers, Photoshop, and digital illustrators. He's one that still works by hand.
This weekend, Omaha residents are in for a special treat. At Gallery 72 at 1806 Vinton in South Omaha. Koterba is drawing live for others. He doesn't plan for this to get political.
"Who doesn't love-and this could get political too- dogs versus cats, but who doesn't love either a dog or a cat? And they're just fun to draw so I am doing something totally different and upbeat and I'm going to be drawing like if you want to happy birthday drawing or a happy anniversary or a hang in there with dogs and cats," he says.
If the cat versus dog political argument does come up, the cartoonist and self described centrist, weighs in.
"I am a both person actually I have had both but not at the same time. And some people have both, " he said.
Jeff Koterba draws live
The legendary cartoonist will exhibit his original editorial cartoons and Petey Sokol whimsical social commentary drawings, as well as draw and paint new works during each appearance.
- Where: Galley 72, 1806 Vinton St.
- When: 5-9 p.m. Friday, 1-4 p.m. Saturday
- Admission: Free
- Phone: 402-496-4797
