The week of July 10th-15th will mark my 15th year returning to the Charles M. Schulz Museum as visiting resident cartoonist. It is a great honor to be able to share my talents at the home of my childhood hero Charles M. Schulz. I have visited every year often twice a year or more since the museum opened. I spend a week in the summer leading summer camps with performance on the weekend, and I spend every Thanksgiving there leading mini workshops and performing in the theater.
Over the past 15 years I have made many wonderful friendships at the museum and it feels very much like as second home to me.
The way it all came to be is an interesting story….
16 years ago I was touring with my performance Once Upon a Toon, a blend of storytelling and live cartoon illustration. I was invited to perform at COSI (A science center) in Columbus, Ohio. While there a young man named Jason caught my show and was impressed. Afterwards we got to talking and he asked if I was a fan of Charles M. Schulz. “Of course! He is the reason I became a cartoonist!” I said as many many other cartoonist have said as well. Jason told me about the Charles M. Schulz Museum opening the next year and said he was applying for a job there, and if he got the job I would be the first one he hired to visit!
I thanked him and figured I would never hear from him again. Well, sure enough as the opening date of the museum approached Jason asked me to send out a video of my performance and the museum booked me for their opening.
I did 6 shows in the theater the first day and a slew of workshops in the classroom. Running up and down between the two throughout that entire day. It’s a pace I have kept up at all my visits. Jeannie Schulz has given me the nickname “The Energizer Bunny” for my working pace while at the museum.
Over the past 15 years I’ve gotten to know Jeannie and everyone at the museum. My visits have become a tradition. There are now kids who have taken my workshops or seen performances that have kids of their own!
If you are a Peanuts fan, the Schulz Museum is a pilgrimage. For any fan of comics and cartoons it is a must visit site!
Visit www.schulzmuseum.org for more information
I hope to see you there!
Joe
