A new Claremont Museum of Art arts education project, called ARToon will give voice to a generation of middle school students through the art of cartooning. The program, directed by Lori Evans Lama in collaboration with El Roble Intermediate School, launched yesterday, February 5 and will continue for 6 weekly after-school lessons culminating with a public exhibition and display on the Art Wall at the Packing House in April.

An after school class of forty El Roble Intermediate School students will pick a cartoon format, develop an original character and tell a story or express their thoughts, insights and beliefs on paper in cartoon form. Students will work under the tutelage of El Roble’s art teacher, Wendy Kubiak, and will learn about some of the great cartoon artists of our time and how their cartoons have been used throughout history to communicate thoughts, opinions, commentary and ideas.

On February 12, award winning editorial cartoonist, Anne Cleaves, will talk about her experiences as an editorial cartoonist and present a shorty history of political cartooning. On February 19, comic book artist and ‘Cartoonista,’ Javier Hernandez will help students begin developing their own original stories and signature characters. Finally, the ARToon exhibition will premiere on March 22 at El Roble. In April, a billboard-size, outdoor installation will be unveiled on the Packing House art wall.  

ARToon is produced solely by the Claremont Museum of Art in partnership with El Roble Intermediate School and funded by a generous donation from an anonymous CMA member, Curtis Real Estate, Peggy A. Carlson, Wealthcare Capital Management, Inc. and Gould Asset Management, LLC.