Brooke McEldowney

Cartoonist Brooke McEldowney began his education as a music student at the Juilliard School, going on to perform at the Mozarteum in Austria. Known for years for his music articles in various magazines, he went on to create the comic "9 Chickweed Lane," which focuses on the world of the arts with his own special brand of intellectual humor. McEldowney's daring subject matter and artistic style has not gone unnoticed: in 2006, he received the National Cartoonists Society's award for Best Newspaper Comic Strip, and is now syndicated in 60 newspapers worldwide.

Over the years, "9 Chickweed Lane" has changed its character focus, but continues with familiar characters from the comic's inception in 1993. Since then, McEldowney has also received two Genesis Award Commendations for animal rights issues addressed in his work. His work has also appeared in the publications "Yankee" and "Punch," to name just two.