Reviewed by: Madelyn Alexander
Homewood native David McCaw lands his first cartoon in The New Yorker
Reading time: 3 minutes
A Birmingham artist just checked off a bucket-list item that most cartoonists spend a lifetime chasing.
David McCaw, a Homewood native and John Carroll Catholic High School grad, found out this week that one of his cartoons had been published in The New Yorker — the magazine widely considered the gold standard for single-panel cartooning.
“It was crazy to see it amongst a carousel of so many other great cartoonists, people I’ve admired my whole life…It still feels so crazy, especially after trying to make it happen for so long.”
David McCaw
Keep reading to learn more about McCaw, his recent work in The New Yorker and where you can find his art around Birmingham.
How Birmingham cartoonist David McCaw got published in The New Yorker
McCaw, who goes by the online moniker @quickdrawmccaw, submits work to the magazine on a weekly basis, a routine many aspiring New Yorker cartoonists follow for years before getting a yes. This particular piece was submitted back in June, and the magazine let him know it had been selected and would run in the upcoming Monday, Aug. 10 issue. He found out it was live earlier this week.
The New Yorker carries a weight other publications don’t, McCaw said — it’s the one every cartoonist measures themselves against.
“[The New Yorker has] probably been around the longest, and they know what they’re doing. It was a huge honor, and I feel so lucky.”
David McCaw
David McCaw’s art style: The contrast of goofy cartoons and ornate paintings
Cartoons and illustration — mostly line work — make up the bulk of McCaw’s output, but he also paints on a larger scale and has shown that work locally.
He described his style as classical-looking with a playful edge, often paired with an ornately framed presentation that plays against the goofiness of the subject matter.
See more of both sides of his portfolio on Instagram or his website.
Inside the tight-knit world of New Yorker cartoonists
McCaw said the art world can feel competitive, but the cartooning world has been the opposite. It’s a close, supportive community. When his work was featured, fellow cartoonists reached out to congratulate him on his success.
“They’re just a bunch of goofy people,” he said. “They really look out for each other and are inspired by each other’s work.”
David McCaw
That community allows him to continuously learn from his peers and to grow as an artist, which he said has been “the best part.”
“I’m really excited to just keep connecting with people and learn from them like I’ve done the past couple of years and see where that takes me.”
David McCaw
What’s next for David McCaw
McCaw said his goal isn’t so much a specific milestone as it is to stay in the habit of creating and seeing where the ideas take him. As long as he’s being challenged, he said, he’s achieving his goal.
“The ideas just come so haphazardly. I don’t really know even what I’m going to think of next week. I’m excited for what that could look like even five years down the line.”
David McCaw
For now, McCaw is just enjoying the moment and looking forward to whatever cartoon idea shows up in his head next.
