Bob Diven editorial cartoons

Collection

Identifier: Ms-0559

Staff Only

Content Description

Approximately 850 editorial cartoons drawn by Las Cruces artist Bob Diven. The original pen and ink drawings were used in a weekly editorial cartoon feature that generally ran on Sundays in the Las Cruces Sun News from 2006 to 2023.

Dates

2006 - 2023

Conditions Governing Access

Materials are available for consultation in the Caroline E. Stras Research Room.

Conditions Governing Use

Materials are available for research, educational and not-for-profit use. Creator owns copyright and must be consulted for permissions for commercial use.

Biographical / Historical

Bob Diven was born in 1959 in Oregon, Illinois, the youngest son of Bill and Betty Diven. The family moved to Las Cruces in 1964 when Bill, a High School teacher, came to New Mexico State University on a sabbatical to pursue a Masters Degree. Instead, he took a job at the soon-to-open Mayfield High School. Bob grew up in Las Cruces with his four brothers, and after serving in the US Coast Guard, got his art training at the Rocky Mountain School of Art in Denver, Colorado. Returning to Las Cruces, he began to work as a freelance illustrator, then as an art director and graphic designer in television, advertising, and publishing in Albuquerque. After a short volunteer stint in The Netherlands, he returned to Las Cruces. He’s been a professional illustrator since around 1980 and his art work has received local, state, and national awards. He is also a painter, sculptor, muralist, musician, and writer.

Diven's first editorial cartoons were created for NMSU student newspaper, The Round Up, in 1977. He began publishing editorial cartoons in the Las Cruces Sun-News in 2006.

Extent

Approximately 850 Drawings

4.5 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement

Cartoons are arranged chronologically. Most cartoons are dated with both the date of creation and the date of publication.

Materials Specific Details

Note from the creator about the production of the cartoons: The drawings are sketched in light pencil, then inked in with black permanent ink on a medium weight, smooth surface Bristol paper, 9x12. Sometimes I ran out of my preferred paper, and had to make do with something else, or cut a larger sheet down. Mostly it was Strathmore brand, but I sometimes would use another.

The original cartoons are marked in pencil in the lower left hand corner, showing the date that the cartoon was created. In parenthesis above the day of the month would be the day that the cartoon was scheduled to run in the newspaper. My submission deadline was Thursday for the Sunday edition, so the date of execution was generally three days from the date of publication. Unfortunately I didn't adopt this numbering system for the earlier cartoons. Deadlines were generally earlier for holidays such as Christmas and New Years, or, on rare occasion, the cartoon was submitted the day after Thanksgiving. And, of course, a few times I spaced out drawing my cartoon until the editor called me looking for it. Occassionally, the cartoon did not make the Sunday edition and was included the following Tuesday. In one instance, the cartoon didn't run in the print version at all, but only in the online isse. But those were the exceptions. I sold maybe three of the originals, and printed out a copy to make sure it was represented in the files. These should be marked. I know one that sold was 11/08/07, and another was about snow fall in Las Cruces, but I can't locate the date on that one.