Tom Kerr has gained an international reputation as an illustrator and cartoonist, his work has appeared in such diverse locations as Moscow, Papua New Guinea, Melbourne (Australia) and Manhattan.
Formerly a page designer/illustrator/cartoonist with the Omaha World-Herald, he has left the newspaper to form his own company Tom Kerr Creative, Inc.
Tom Kerr career
His early career was spent in Australia as a cartoonist, caricaturist, and designer for the Melbourne Sun. It was also during these years that Kerr worked in animation, illustrated books and started his first cartoon strip, “Gastauve”, a whimsical cooking cartoon. The strip ran for 16 years in both Australia and the US.
Since returning to the States, he has concurrently worked as a newspaper designer, illustrator and as a freelancer. Kerr’s most high profile freelance client is the National Crime Prevention Council whose main character, McGruff the Crime Dog, is a cultural icon.
Print media clients include The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, Washington Times, Philadelphia Enquirer, Detroit Free Press, Asbury Park Press, Redbook, Ladies Home Journal, Australian Women’s Weekly, Cricket, Cobblestone, Spider and World Tennis magazines.
His book publishing credits include titles, “The Oracle’s Fables”, “The Modern Compendium of Despicable Jerks”, “You’re Not Getting Better, You’re Getting Older”, “A Dad’s Guide to Babies”, “Welcome to Dinsmore the World’s Greatest Store”, “The Best Pet Name Book Ever” and “Congratulations, It’s a Dog”. He has illustrated over 45 books to date for a variety of publishers including Barrons Educational Series, Andrews & McMeel, Stark Books, and Becker&Mayer!, Ltd.
Kerr’s work has earned honors from the Society for Newspaper Design, Print Magazine, The New Jersey Press Association, and the National Cartoonists Society.
While primarily known for his humorous, whimsical illustrations and caricatures, Kerr is also adept at portraiture, landscape, and wildlife studies.
His artwork currently resides in the collections of Bette Midler, Graham Green, Robin Williams, Dana Carvey, Gregory Peck, The Aga Khan, Jack Nicholson, Presidents George HW Bush, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton.
He is married and has a daughter.
