Latest news with #JohnShakespeare
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Walkley award-winning newspaper cartoonist John Shakespeare dead at 63: 'Treasure the small stuff'
One of Australia's most loved and widely read newspaper cartoonists, John Shakespeare, has died of cancer, aged 63. Tributes have poured in for the 'big-hearted' illustrator who died on Monday evening and is survived by his partner Anna-Lisa Backlund, and their son, Lukas. Shakespeare's career in Australian journalism spanned nearly four decades, with him spending the bulk of this time as a cartoonist at The Sydney Morning Herald, where he created nearly 20,000 illustrations and won a Walkley Award for his work in 1995. Announcing his death, his partner shared an emotional tribute to the cartoonist on Instagram alongside an illustration of Shakespeare riding off on a motorbike saying the words: 'Gotta fly', while his dog waits behind. 'Ride free sweets!' Backlund wrote. 'He passed away tonight on the couch with Lukas and I. 'Take a leaf out of his book and laugh at the hard stuff and treasure the small stuff. To honour him, go out and do your favourite thing asap.' Backlund, a former magazine designer and style columnist, said the memorial service will take place after July 6 'when friends get back from overseas'. Sydney Morning Herald's Jordan Baker shared a fitting tribute to the cartoonist and revealed he was affectionately known as 'Shakes' amongst colleagues. Shakespeare's career in Australian journalism spanned almost four decades before taking a voluntary redundancy from The Sydney Morning Herald last year (pictured, a cartoon Shakespeare created for his son Lukas) 'Shakespeare's shy smile and boundless kindness were woven into the fabric of the newsroom, and his loss will be felt deeply by generations of staff and readers,' Baker wrote. Fellow cartoonist and long-time Sydney Morning Herald colleague, Cathy Wilcox praised her friend and his work. 'They're not nasty,' she said of his cartoons. 'He might ridicule them a bit, but not from a place of judgmental superiority.' Wilcox described Shakespeare as unfailingly 'big-hearted and generous', both in life and art. Peter FitzSimons, whose column The Fitz Files was illustrated by Shakespeare for 15 years, said: 'The most loved figure at the SMH in the 40 years I've been there. Lovely man. Vale, Johnny.' James Brickwood, staff photographer at Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian Financial Review, said the late cartoonist had 'such a beautiful, kind soul'. He was 'warm, encouraging, and modest (besides his love of fast motorbikes)'. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anna-Lisa Backlund (@anna_lisa_backlund) 'I started at the paper over 20 years ago. It was a pretty intimidating place to enter. John was one of those who made the experience less so right from the beginning,' he wrote on Instagram. 'Over the following 20 years I saw it time and time again as new young faces joined the paper he was warm and welcoming. It's a small gesture but it mattered.' Shakespeare started his career at Brisbane's Courier Mail, where a job fixing photocopiers led to a role in the art room despite no formal training. He moved to Fairfax's Sydney Sun in 1985, and when it closed he transferred to The Sydney Morning Herald. Shakespeare remained at the newspaper for 39 years before taking a voluntary redundancy last year. He produced thousands of illustrations during his career from political portraits to pop culture phenomena, including Taylor Swift 'mania'. Explaining how he created his art, Shakespeare told the Queensland Law Society's Proctor newsletter: 'The process of creating a funny cartoon can be quite excruciating. 'I actually don't enjoy that part. Once I have the idea, I can relax a bit and draw it, which I enjoy.'
The Age
2 days ago
- The Age
The dawning of an elephantine era
'We Herald letter writers may be fond of clichés and over-used metaphors but, at the end of the day, when all is said and done, we're (literally) on the same page in our desire to maintain anonymity for the 'elephant in the room' (C8) because any public vote would likely proffer Trunky McTrunkface,' offers the always erudite Col Burns of Lugarno. 'No need to cry crocodile tears Dawn Hope, your curiosity, while it won't kill the cat, is a red herring, and you may be on a wild goose chase trying to find out the name of that elephant,' adds Mary Carde of Parrearra (Qld). 'I've heard it straight from the horse's mouth, who put that very same question to the fly on the wall; apparently while they're all having a whale of a time, nobody knows who's who in the zoo.' For Pasquale Vartuli of Wahroonga, Dawn's search has thrown up another mythical poseur: 'Apropos the name of the elephant in the room, who was 'Larry Dooley' often referred to by rugby league commentator Frank Hyde?' Col Mitty of Warrawee and his mates know how to get the lead out: 'I've been reminded of the moment in my pre-teens when a friend aimed his air rifle (C8) at another friend and struck the target between the eyes. The pellet slid under his skin stopping just under one eye. I was shocked, the shooter was speechless and the target screamed. I don't believe the police were informed.' 'The passing of John Shakespeare marks the end of a short but illustrious life of a highly talented cartoonist,' writes Allan Gibson of Cherrybrook. 'Many of his Fairfax/Nine colleagues will hold special memories with those who left this masthead receiving a caricature of themselves. Away from the newsroom, but looming large over Granny's shoulder, one George Manojlovic of Mangerton was named in August 2016 as Column 8's most prodigious contributor. His prize was a caricature of himself depicted with the Column 8 doctorate drawn by John Shakespeare. For the record, George had 68 entries. He was closely followed by Paul Hunt of Engadine (66), Jim Dewar of North Gosford (65) and yours truly (59).'
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
The dawning of an elephantine era
'We Herald letter writers may be fond of clichés and over-used metaphors but, at the end of the day, when all is said and done, we're (literally) on the same page in our desire to maintain anonymity for the 'elephant in the room' (C8) because any public vote would likely proffer Trunky McTrunkface,' offers the always erudite Col Burns of Lugarno. 'No need to cry crocodile tears Dawn Hope, your curiosity, while it won't kill the cat, is a red herring, and you may be on a wild goose chase trying to find out the name of that elephant,' adds Mary Carde of Parrearra (Qld). 'I've heard it straight from the horse's mouth, who put that very same question to the fly on the wall; apparently while they're all having a whale of a time, nobody knows who's who in the zoo.' For Pasquale Vartuli of Wahroonga, Dawn's search has thrown up another mythical poseur: 'Apropos the name of the elephant in the room, who was 'Larry Dooley' often referred to by rugby league commentator Frank Hyde?' Col Mitty of Warrawee and his mates know how to get the lead out: 'I've been reminded of the moment in my pre-teens when a friend aimed his air rifle (C8) at another friend and struck the target between the eyes. The pellet slid under his skin stopping just under one eye. I was shocked, the shooter was speechless and the target screamed. I don't believe the police were informed.' 'The passing of John Shakespeare marks the end of a short but illustrious life of a highly talented cartoonist,' writes Allan Gibson of Cherrybrook. 'Many of his Fairfax/Nine colleagues will hold special memories with those who left this masthead receiving a caricature of themselves. Away from the newsroom, but looming large over Granny's shoulder, one George Manojlovic of Mangerton was named in August 2016 as Column 8's most prodigious contributor. His prize was a caricature of himself depicted with the Column 8 doctorate drawn by John Shakespeare. For the record, George had 68 entries. He was closely followed by Paul Hunt of Engadine (66), Jim Dewar of North Gosford (65) and yours truly (59).'
BBC News
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Traditional fire festival returns to Peel seafront
A traditional fire festival celebrating the transition from winter into summer is returning to the west of the Isle of Man after a year's Oie Voaldyn Fire and Folk Festival, which was cancelled in 2024 due to funding issues, takes place on Peel seafront from 14:00 in honour of the traditional customs surrounding old May eve, the spectacle combines live music, traditional workshops, interactive activities, and a range of said the event offered the chance to "celebrate the island's rich cultural heritage against the historical backdrop of Peel Castle". The fire festival itself begins at 21:00 with the lighting of a fire on Peel Hill, followed by a torchlight procession and a theatrical performance on the beach, with the event culminating in a fireworks display. The 2024 event was scrapped after the local authority said it would withdraw its funding support if sponsors who would be in competition with local businesses were a jewellery firm from neighbouring St John's, Element Isle, offered financial support for the 2025 John Shakespeare said he wanted people to "experience the magic of Oie Voaldyn and become part of something really special" at the "family-friendly" event, which is free to attend."Whether you're interested in learning about the Manx language, enjoying live music, or simply want to discover more about the island's cultural identity, the festival promises something for everyone," he have been warned of a number of traffic restrictions in the town to accommodate the include the suspension of parking on Crown Street, East Quay Pier and the northern side of Shore Road until 23:00, and the closure of the road at Weatherglass Corner from 10:00 until 23:00. Read more stories from the Isle of Man on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC Isle of Man on Facebook and X.
