In be Tween

You’ve probably never been surrounded by a huge crowd of shouting tweens while you tried to get your work done.

But That’s  what happened to me at the event I worked at this past Friday night.

So Let me back up.

It’s about 6pm.

I am setting up my easel to draw caricatures at a yacht club at Ocean Springs Beach Mississippi.

The sun is setting. I’m underneath the building which is set on huge concrete pylons. This is typical at beach houses and businesses where I live along the Gulf of Mexico. I often do events in these outdoor spaces. This one even has its own bar.

It’s as windy as a day in Chicago. I’m huddled in a corner behind the bar so my easel won’t fly away.

Melanie, the mom who hired me, makes a beeline over to check on me.

“I’m not sure how many kids we will have. Many more have already showed up than we even invited. I’m so sorry! If you have to stay late to draw them all is that ok?”

I chuckle. Like I’m going to turn down overtime!

“It’s fine melanie,” I assure her. “I can handle it.”  “You go back to getting ready,” I tell her. “I’ve got this.”  She smiles gratefully and thanks me, and I continue setting up.

The wind is roaring through the underside of this yacht club like a train tearing through a tunnel.

I duct tape my backboard to my easel and clip down my paper carefully and I say a prayer that nothing blows away, and I’m ready.

Very soon the first kid finds me. She’s a shy asian girl and she sits tentatively on the edge of her chair, like she’s poised to make a getaway.

I know why.

A lot of these kids have seen those mean caricatures on tik tok and that’s their only frame of reference for caricatures. This is the Deep South. There aren’t a lot of caricaturists here.

I introduce myself to put her at ease, shake hands, make eye contact, and ask her name.

I reassure her that my caricature drawings are more like cartoon portraits that actually look like the people I’m drawing. That I won’t draw her mean. I don’t do mean - unless you ask for it.

She laughs and visibly relaxes.

I also tell her that she doesn’t have to sit perfectly still for me, she can talk to me and ask me questions. She doesn’t have to smile yet either. (That’s because I’ll make her laugh. And that makes a much better picture).

I do this with each and every one of the 70-some tween kids who sits in my chair that night. Introduce myself. Shake hands. Reassure them. Give them directions. Make them laugh. It’s a good formula. It works well.

I ask the girl in my chair what cartoon body she wants - this is something I offer at kids parties - and she chooses being on the beach in the clothes she’s wearing. “Myself”, is actually what she says when I ask what she wants to be.

Probably because she doesn’t understand yet what I do. She’s the first one remember. Which also means despite her shyness that she’s the bravest.

I draw her in about 2 minutes and I turn it around for her.

Her face breaks into a real smile. 😀

Here’s her picture.

After that I’m mobbed with kids clamoring for a drawing.

For the rest of the night I’m surrounded by shouting tweens. But as the mom of 3 teens myself,

I handle them like a mom. With love, grace, and a wee bit of bossiness.

I’m not overwhelmed at all but rather I love being in he center of things. I’m the eye in the storm; and I love it!

Plus they act as a natural windbreak. 😆

The crowd keeps shouting out suggestions like “make him ugly” and “make her fat” until I turn and tell them - guys I’m not going to do any of that. Let me draw the way I see fit.

And just like that, they stop. Hm. These kids actually listen to adults. That’s refreshing. And unexpected.

Melanie comes by and asks me to stay late and finish drawing the stragglers. Of course I comply.

Then she wants one of her family. And I stil haven’t drawn Andley, the birthday girl. She’s been MIA all evening, off with her guests playing beach volleyball.

Finally I meet her. She’s a petite girl with long blonde hair and a toothy smile.

I draw her with her family. Then again with her bff. Once more with her two besties riding dolphins. And finally, her color piece.

This was part of why I stayed so late. But that’s ok. She’s the birthday girl. You only turn into a teenager once.

Turns out Andley is an artist. So I tell her my story of how I got a caricture when I was 13 and that’s the seed that grew into me being a professional caricture artist.

“So you never know,” I tell her. “This could change your life.”

She is super polite. So are all her friends. For a crowd of shouting tweenagers.

Melanie comes over and thanks me profusely. Her husband John pays me my overtime and adds a generous tip - “Thanks for being so nice about staying late,” he says.

I smile. People are funny.

It was a good night. I drew every single person who wanted a drawing. I got overtime.

And My easel didn’t fly away once.

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rtainment and party favors, contact me now. Dates on my calendar really do fill up quickly!

HI! My name is kathy buskett and I’ve been a professional caricture artist for 26 years.

I drew caricatures at some of the largest events in the world and for some of the biggest brands, including Samsung, the PGA golf tournament and Cirque du Soleil.

Now I live on the Gulf Coast and draw caricatures at parties, corporate events, and even weddings.

If you’d like me to come draw my fast flattering cartoon drawings that actually look like your guests as entertainment, Contact me now. Spots on my calendar dont last long!

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