Careers are born in funny places. Mine just happened to breathe its first breath in a concrete room tucked into a steep hill overlooking the Tennessee River. Like a seed buried deep underground, my editorial cartoons sprang to life there. It was Room 5 of the Communications Building at the University of Tennessee. It’s where UT’s daily student newspaper, The Daily Beacon, calls home.
In the fall of of 1986 and Rusty Gray, my Greve Hall resident assistant at the time, suggested I try out for the Beacon. (Rusty is now Russell W. Gray, managing shareholder in the Chattanooga office and is on Baker Donelson’s Board of Directors.) With his encouragement, I walked through the doors for the first time with a cartoon in my hand. My work started to appear in the spring of 1987.
My life was changed forever.
I tell my sons that you get your education from many places in college other than a classroom. Working for a daily student newspaper shaped me like a potter shapes a chunk of clay. It was a daily opportunity for me to learn the skills I still use today. And as my son and I walked back through that door last Friday, I thought about how my experiences 27 years ago are still relevant in my life.
1. I learned to create under pressure. For three years, I drew five cartoons a week and never missed a paper. (I was the Cal Ripken of college editorial cartoonists.) I also never missed a deadline. People ask me how I can be creative on command. It’s like running. Run in 7th-grade P.E. and you nearly barf a lung. Train for a marathon and you perform miracles. The Daily Beacon was my first marathon.
2. I learned to work with all kinds of editors. I had 13 editors in my time as a Beacon cartoonist. Thirteen. After that experience, I learned a very real-world lesson of working with very different personalities. One of my editors, John Jackson Miller, is now a Star Wars author. Another, Nathan Rowell, is an attorney. All 13 were very different. All 13 made me better at my craft.
3. I was surrounded by positive influences. The non-student staff at The Daily Beacon had one thing in common, they wanted me to succeed. Eric, who is still a friend, was a talented artist who saw potential in my work. Debbie, taught me how to truly find appreciate life. Jane, who was the head of Student Publication, fought for my editorial independence. Karen and Lynn in advertising offered friendship and advice. Betty was like another mom. When I sat and talked with Eric, Lynn and Karen on Friday, I felt like I was visiting family.
4. I got my first platform. My work was seen by thousands of UT students everyday. That led to awards and other opportunities.
5. I was able to experiment. My work evolved from 1987 to 1991 because I was able to try to techniques and styles. I could never have developed it in a one-semester class. It took hundreds of drawings for me to become what I am today.
6. I learned failure isn’t failure. In 1988, I had a comic strip called “Big Orange Crew.” It wasn’t bad. But it wasn’t good. My editor Andy Logan didn’t particularly care for it so he made me a deal, “Quit the strip and you can draw editorial cartoons daily.” That was an offer I couldn’t refuse. The worst moments lead to the best!
7. I had experiences I never would have had otherwise. I was able be in the room with the President of the United States. I met Alex Haley and Howard Baker. It opened doors for me I never would have ever seen.
8. I met my mentor and friend Charlie Daniel. No, Charlie doesn’t play fiddle. He’s the long-time Knoxville editorial cartoonist who continues to give me valuable career and life advice to this day.
9. I made amazing friends. James Raxter and Kendall Kaylor were in my wedding. I still keep up with so many talented people I worked with.
10. I became a storyteller and developed my brand. I see the students today at The Daily Beacon and I know they will be facing an industry that changes nearly daily. But they’re developing skills that will take them forward no matter the platform. The invaluable opportunity of doing what you love daily is one of the greatest teachers out there. I still use what I learned every single day.
Newspapers are facing financial pressures. And sadly, The Daily Beacon isn’t immune to those pressures. But I hope the laboratory tucked into the hill continues to exist. I hope University of Tennessee students continue to have the opportunity to experiment, fail, learn and succeed. And after meeting Rachel, the new director, I know it will.
Room 5 is a magical place. And it was good to revisit the room where my career was born.