Rob Smith, Jr.
Known for his fiercely independent conservative commentary, native Floridian cartoonist Rob Smith, Jr. enjoys a weekly audience across America with syndication through DBR Media and a weekly gig with the Glenn Beck Program. After more than 27 years as a caricature artist, Rob has perfected the art of the "editorial caricature," interviewing his subjects while drawing in order to pin down the perfect editorial of an individual. Rob does caricatures for hire at corporate events as well as for the occasional individual.
Currently a member of the National Cartoonists Society, Association of American Editorial Cartoonists and the National Caricaturist Network, Rob heads up the professional/amateur cartoonists group in Tampa Bay, The Suncoast Inkslingers and an Orlando group, The Central Florida Inkslingers.
Rob’s background includes training at the Ringling School of Art and Design (Sarasota, Florida), the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art (Dover, New Jersey), Rollins College (Winter Park, Florida - Studies in Political Science, Religion and Philosophy) and Valencia Community College (Orange County, Florida - Florida History and Political Science). He was hired in 1985 by the City of Orlando as an artist and draftsman by none other than Jeff Parker, Reuben award-winning editorial cartoonist for Florida Today and the assistant on the comic strip 'Grimmy'. Rob continued caricature on the side, working at various Central Florida tourist attractions including Walt Disney World in 1992 side-by-side with some of the finest artists in Florida, including Marvin Bennett, Harvie Brown and Jack Marler.
In 1992, Rob also began creating award-winning editorial cartoons for the Winter Park Observer and later for The Ledger in Lakeland. He has collected six Florida Press Association awards for his work.
Rob credits his fourth grade art teacher, Nancy Kiffer, for noticing his work and, with Michael Hanson, who was seeking artists for his caricature stands around Central Florida, for getting him started in the cartooning biz at the tender age of 16. Active in his community, Rob is also involved in many historical, political and environmental organizations, and enjoys volunteering as a motivational speaker on cartooning for schools, civic organizations and events.
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