From Gilda Radner to Soupy Sales, Suz Protz of Secaucus draws caricatures of famous figures and takes people back to the 1970s in her cartoon illustrations. A chronological representation of her work was on display at the Secaucus Public Library last month.
A burgeoning local artist, she began to explore drawing cartoons five years ago after she saw an exhibit by local cartoonist Bobby Travieso at the public library in town.
“What I mostly started doing was doodling little things…like gift cards for friends, and I started from there,” said Protz. As a self-taught cartoonist, Protz’s interest in drawing became a full-fledged hobby and a vehicle of expression.
“I love Elvis and I love rock and roll.” – Suz Protz
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Drawing from quotes
Protz draws her inspiration from quotes, memories, and from current events or special personal occasions. She infuses her work with bright, bold colors.
One illustration features a hand with the iconic Andy Warhol soup can on the ring finger. Above the drawing, Protz used the following quote by Warhol, “It would be very glamorous to be reincarnated as a great big ring on Liz Taylor’s finger.”
Caricatures of television’s icons
Another series of cartoon drawings features caricatures of famous television icons from the past such as comedians Soupy Sales, Gilda Radner, and Floyd Vivino. Protz includes an essay next to each caricature that describes her connection to the icon.
“These people were, more or less, a trip down memory lane,” said Protz. “I always liked Uncle Floyd…SNL [that starred Gilda Radner] was universal.”
When Protz draws Gilda Radner, the late comedian who starred on Saturday Night Live, she depicts her with her signature big hair and writes that she was “fun, cute, and larger than life.” Protz draws New Jersey-born “Uncle” Floyd Vivino with an orange and blue polka-dot hat and giant yellow and purple striped bow-tie. Vivino had a long running show on PBS from 1974 to 1998 called The Uncle Floyd Show.
“It was humor as hearty and homegrown as a Jersey tomato,” says Protz in her description of him.
Protz draws Soupy Sales with a big, toothy grin and describes him as someone who “could ad lib with ease.” He was a radio personality, actor, and comedian best known for his children’s television show, Lunch with Soupy Sales, which first aired in 1953.
TV Snide
Protz created an installation called “TV Snide” that provides a perspective on the trend of glorifying television programs. She took an old television from 1978 and painted cartoon images and comic strips on every surface.
“Let me turn this into a piece of art,” said Protz of the old, discarded 1978 television she found. “I based [the installation] on commercials from the 1970s…I looked at many sources. I did a lot of research before I put that TV together.” She said that the 1970s were a time when branding really took off.
The installation also has cereal box art that features an Elvis brand cereal called Blue Suede Shoes. “I love Elvis and I love rock and roll. Everyone will know Elvis in a hundred years,” said Protz. “When I saw [a] Rice krispies [cereal box], I saw blue suede shoes in there.”
Protz also has a dog named Elvis who features prominently in her work.
No nose trademark
In all of her caricatures, Protz leaves out the nose.
“I draw everything and the nose would go last. And I would add the nose last and I never liked the way it looked,” said Protz. She said leaving out the nose is her trademark.
Protz plans to study the work of multimedia artist Red Grooms next. She intends to move toward pop art stylistically and incorporate her cartoon illustrations into that form.
Protz is a lifelong Secaucus resident who became interested in drawing in fifth grade. She initially majored in art at Fairleigh Dickinson University and drew mostly landscapes, still-lifes, and people before her recent foray into cartoon illustration. When she isn’t exploring art, she works in a variety of fields and describes herself as a person of all trades.
Adriana Rambay Fernández may be reached at afernandez@hudsonreporter.com.