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True Story: Secrets of a Caricature Artist
- Kathy Buskett
- Mar 2
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 3
Sometimes being a caricature artist is a little like being a bartender or a hairdresser.
How?
People tell me all of their secrets.
I have heard this from other caricaturists too. I’m not sure why this is except maybe it’s because we are listeners.
We are sitting there drawing you and not talking much. Making eye contact. Asking questions. And if the surroundings are right (usually if it’s loud and no one else can hear you talk but me), people tell me everything.
This past Thursday night was one of those nights.
I was at an event for Howard Industries at the grand hotel in Fairhope. They had hired me directly (thank you Davis Brock) which is often how I get my clients. This was their second time hiring me and I’m hoping it becomes an annual thing.
The vibe was interesting. Sort of a cross between a luau and a rave. Lots of flashing neon lights and loud music.
In addition to me there was a high-octane band called Brandy, (which is why it was loud) a guy playing guitar when they weren’t playing, and a dude making drawings on mini etch a sketches.
I got the business card of the etch-a-sketch guy and looked him up afterwards because he had such a unique talent. He was good too. The only thing was he wasn’t interacting with the crowd. He actually wasn’t talking at all. I see this with performing artists a lot too.
And that’s actually what this story is about - how drawing caricatures connects me with people and gives me a five minute window to really connect with each of them.
Most of the people I drew on Thursday were clients of Howard that they were wooing. I think they did a good job at it too.
And part of my job as a representative of that company is connecting with each client on a personal level.
Many of these folks were from other countries which I love. I love anything new and different - always have - and I used to work with tons of international clients when I lived and drew carictures in Las Vegas.
This Thursday there were several international clients.
This Japanese gentleman is now a US citizen who lives in New York. He was beaming and I found out why very quickly.
A young man had just asked him for his daughter’s hand in marriage.
“And you’re happy about this I assume?” I said as I drew him.
He told me “He is the best human being I have ever met”. That blew me away.
I mean this gentleman had to be at least 60 years old and I know he was telling me the truth by his sincerity.
The best human being you have ever met? I can’t tell you who that would be in my own life. Maybe my pastor from the church I grew up in.
A few minutes later he leaned in and whispered “He just lost his job. But when you’re dealing with millions of dollars like he does you win some you lose some and he’ll get a new job soon enough.”
I nodded. I imagined his future son in law probably works on the New York stock exchange.
I turned the drawing around and he got a big laugh.
A few more people got drawn and then I got a couple of gentlemen with a thick accent I couldn’t place (which is rare for me).
One was older and one was younger. The older one seemed to be a mentor to the younger.
He had such an interesting accent I politely asked where he was from.
“Finland” was the reply.
“Wow that’s pretty far away. Did you come here to the US just for this conference?”
“Yes. We leave tomorrow. It’s really beautiful here.”
I nodded and searched my brain for a point of connection with Finland.
Aha! Found one!
“My son is 15 and is a huge World War Two buff. He has a big collection of ww2 artifacts and he wants to be a historian. He wanted a ww2 helmet and they were all too expensive. But I found one online in pristine condition a lot less expensive and it was from Finland.”
He smiled big “Tell your son that every year in Finland we have a big parade to remember world war 2 and we all dress up and wear our WW2 helmets to the parade,” he said.
“He’ll he very interested to hear that,” I told him. I finished the drawing, turned it around and he and his mentee laughed and laughed.
“I will hang this in my office. Thank you so much. It must be fun to have your artwork hanging all over the world!”
I smiled and nodded. He got it. That is one of the coolest things about my job.
Off they went to show all their friends.
Soon after that I drew a young guy from the states (I forget which one please forgive me).
He was a newlywed and wanted me to draw his bride and him from a picture. Normally I only do people who are actually at an event but I made an exception because he’d just gotten married.
As I drew I asked him what he did for a living. He told me he was the IT director of his company.
He leaned in to tell me “I’m the boss of a lot of people that are much older than me. It can sometimes be a bit awkward.”
I sized him up.
He looked maybe in his late 20s or early 30s. I myself was a boss in my early 20s (they used to call me boss lady) so I understood.
I told him “I get it. I have teenaged sons. They’re MY IT department.”
We shared a chuckle and then I turned the drawing around and we shared another one.
Next I drew two ladies whom I drew last year. I recognized them. I got hugs from them which was nice, and at the end the reaction was a squeal and an “awwww!”
Needless to say they liked it. They actually started fighting over it until I told them they could get it copied at work. (Not all artists are cool with this so make sure you ask!)
Finally I had this gentleman sit down.
“I have a resting b*tch face and my coworkers all make fun of me for it. So can you please draw me scowling?”
I get requests like this from time to time so I agreed without a problem. I started the sketch.
“So where are you from?” I asked.
“Canada,” he said.
Oh.
In case you don’t know, there are serious political issues going on between the
US and Canada right now.
Whatever your politics I think we can all agree that tensions with our northern neighbors have never been higher.
I reached around for what to say.
I thought of my friend Caroline, a sweet little old lady caricaturist from Canada who recently wrote online that she isn’t planning on coming back to the US until this is all over. I’ve seen a lot of other people from Canada as well as internationally saying the same thing.
So I said “I’m surprised you’re here.”
He looked at me with sorrow. “Work,” he said.
I nodded.
His face. I’m really good at reading faces (surprise, surprise) and his microexpressions were showing me such sorrow and hurt and even anger.
I put down my pen.
I covered my heart with my hand and said
“I just want you to know from the bottom of my heart, from me to you, that I am SO SORRY about all of this.“
He looked at me like he was just seeing me for the first time.
Then he said “Thank you for that. I really appreciate it.” He sounded a little choked up.
It was loud in there and the band was jamming. But in our little corner of the room there was a different mood entirely.
We chatted for a few minutes about Canada and how nice everyone I’ve ever met from there is. And he chimed in that they’re nice - to a point. I nodded. I think we’re about to that point.
When I showed him his drawing he loved it. And he grimaced appropriately. Thus this picture.
Then as he stood up to go be touched my shoulder.
“Thank you so much for what you said.
It means more than you know.”
There were tears in his eyes.
I touched his hand.
And he was gone.
You see I don’t just draw pretty or funny faces.
I’m here on this earth with a mission.
And that is to bring healing and restoration. Between people. Between races. Even between countries.
Caricatures are just the vehicle for it.
I’m grateful to God for this job that allows me to touch people so much that they’re willing so share their secrets with me.
And I’m grateful for you reading today.
If you run a business with integrity that needs entertainment that fosters connection (such as for conventions and trade shows)
AND has discretion (there were several secrets I learned at this event that I wil not be divulging!)
Contact me now to see if your date is available.
I do book up quickly!
True Story.
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