Walt Handelsman (1956 - )

Abstract

In a distinguished and prolific career spanning several decades, two-time Pulitzer Prize winning editorial cartoonist and animator Walt Handelsman is seen as a leading innovator in his field thanks to his engagement with digital technology. Handelsman successfully negotiated the tumultuous changes in the newspaper industry brought about by downsizing and the emergence of the Internet in the 1990s. By exploiting syndication opportunities and expanding his traditional cartooning skillset to include digital production and dissemination strategies, he deftly avoided the 'surplus to requirements' fate suffered by many an editorial cartoonist around the turn of the century and beyond. His witty and insightful satire, delivered through potent metaphors and skilfully drawn caricatures, has attracted a diverse audience and an array of national awards and accolades. As well as his editorial commitments, Handelsman engages with the wider community through various public speaking events, guest appearances on major broadcast networks and mentoring students in the craft. He is also author of a children's book and several collections of his cartoons.