February 13, 2007

For Immediate Release Tuesday, February 13, 2007

“Patrick McDonnell possesses an elegance of line and narrative that both transcends and defines his medium. When one experiences Mutts, one experiences genius.” – ALICE SEBOLD, author of The Lovely Bones

White River Junction, Vermont – This May marks The Center for Cartoon Studies’ inaugural commencement ceremony for its two-year, full-time course of study. Patrick McDonnell, creator of daily of comic strip Mutts, will be the institution’s first commencement speaker. McDonnell’s cartoons appear in 700 newspapers in over 20 countries, including the Sunday section of CCS’s hometown newspaper, The Valley News, and are collected and published worldwide. McDonnell has received numerous awards, including the National Cartoonist Society’s Reuben for Cartoonist of the Year (1999), Harvey Award for Best Comic Strip (1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003), and The Humane Society of the United States Ark Trust Genesis Award (1997, 1999). He has had a hand in editing and writing numerous works on the subject of comic art, and Mutts has been the subject of many authors’ works. McDonnell serves on numerous boards, including The Humane Society of the United States.

For more information about Patrick McDonnell, visit http://muttscomics.com/cast/patrick.asp

According to Peanuts creator Charles Schulz, Mutts is “one of the best comic strips of all time.” Matt Groening, creator of The Simpsons, agrees, calling McDonnell’s strip “smart, funny, brilliantly drawn and full of heart.”

Chittenden Bank proudly sponsors The Center for Cartoon Studies’ inaugural commencement. Chittenden, Vermont’s largest full-service bank, has been proudly serving businesses and residents statewide for more than 100 years.

With assets greater than $3.2 billion and more than 50 offices throughout the state, Chittenden is dedicated to fueling the aspirations of Vermonters at every stage of life. Chittenden was ranked one of the top 50 banks in the nation for 2005 by Bank Director magazine. More information about Chittenden can be found at www.chittenden.com.

The Center for Cartoon Studies opened in fall 2005 in the historic village of White River Junction. Each year 20 students from across the country relocate to Vermont to attend its rigorous cartooning program. Thesis work will be on exhibit, open to the public on Saturdays from May 19 through June 16.

For more information, please visit www.cartoonstudies.org The Center For Cartoon Studies (CCS), located in the historic village of White River Junction, Vermont, is a dynamic cartooning school and studio that has been featured in The New York Times, The Boston Globe, The Farmer’s Almanac, and on the front page of The Washington Post. For more information, visit www.cartoonstudies.org.

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