Jarla Duffy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 Political Cartoon By Jarla Duffy, Bertie Invents a New Monopoly Game |
|
| Born: | 19?? Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland |
|---|---|
| Occupation: | Artist/Cartoonist |
| Spouse: | Carmel Duffy |
| Children: | Iarlaith Duffy (1 year old) |
Jarla Duffy is an artist and cartoonist from Letterkenny, County Donegal, Ireland. He was educated at St. Eunan's College in the town. He creates political cartoons for the Irish Sunday People and the Letterkenny Post. He also works in Letterkenny General Hospital.
Contents |
[edit] Background
Jarla started drawing at a very young age. His brothers were printers and they brought scrap paper home for the young artist to draw on. While at school he was often told off by his teachers for his doodling. Art was the one subject he really enjoyed. His art teacher Margaret McCollum encouraged his drawing.[1]
[edit] Career
Jarla began to work in Letterkenny General Hospital upon his graduation from St. Eunan's College, and has continued to do so for the past thirteen years. He was always doing bits and pieces of art and began drawing children's favourite cartoon characters on bedroom walls in his spare time ten years ago. His caricatures have gained him widespread national success and have included everyone from local councillors such as Pearse Doherty and Ciaran Brogan to An Taoiseach himself Bertie Ahern. He has also done work for "comedian" Brendan O'Carroll. His very first political caricature was of Ciaran Brogan when he was elected Mayor of Letterkenny for the first time. Jarla has been openly critical of artists who hurriedly splash their work on a canvas and rush off to attend wine and cheese receptions. "When you look at exhibitions nowadays they are a disgrace. Anyone can exhibit their work, but a lot of them are no good and my baby can paint better".[2]
[edit] Charity work
Jarla also raises a lot of money for charity through his work. In 2005 he went to Romania for a month to draw cartoons on the walls of a children's hospital and an orphanage. He undertook the trip with Fergus Clery and Hope International, a Donegal-based charity. Jarla has compiled two cartoon drawing teaching books for charity. They are "Cartoon with Jarla Vol. 1" and "Holiday Cartoons with Jarla Vol. 2".[3]
