Nicholas Garland
Nicholas Garland | |
|---|---|
| Born | Nicholas Withycombe Garland September 1, 1935 Hampstead, London, England |
| Occupation(s) | Political cartoonist, theatre director |
| Years active | 1950s–present |
| Known for | Political cartoons for The Daily Telegraph, co-creator of Barry McKenzie comic strip |
| Notable work | Barry McKenzie comic strip, Drawing the Games (2012 Olympics artwork) |
Nicholas Withycombe Garland OBE (born 1 September 1935) is a distinguished British political cartoonist, widely recognized for his prolific contributions to newspapers, particularly The Daily Telegraph.
Early life
Garland was born in Hampstead, London as the second child among six siblings. His father practiced medicine while his mother was engaged in sculpture. The family relocated to New Zealand between 1946 and 1947, where he pursued his education at Rongotai College in Wellington.
Theatrical and directorial roles
Following his schooling, Garland became involved with the New Zealand Players, which at the time was New Zealand’s sole professional theatre company, led by Richard Campion. In 1954, he moved back to London to attend the Slade School of Art. After completing his studies at Slade, he returned to theatre, taking on the role of stage manager at Guildford Repertory Theatre.
Beginning in 1958, he spent three years working at London’s Royal Court Theatre, then went on to direct productions at the Cheltenham Repertory Company and supported Peter Ustinov both in London and New York. He also directed some of the initial cabaret performances at Peter Cook’s Establishment Club and spent a year working within the BBC’s Tonight programme department.
Career as cartoonist
Garland transitioned into cartooning in 1964. Collaborating with Barry Humphries, he co-developed the Barry McKenzie comic strip for Private Eye. His cartoons also appeared in The Spectator and various other periodicals.
In 1966, Garland was appointed as The Daily Telegraph’’’s inaugural political cartoonist, a position he held until 1986 before co-founding The Independent. He later resumed his role at The Daily Telegraph from 1990 through 2011. Throughout the 1970s, he served as political cartoonist for New Statesman and maintained a longstanding relationship with The Spectator.
Selected by Mayor Boris Johnson as Cartoonist for the 2012 London Olympics, Garland created drawings and woodcuts that were published in Drawing the Games. His artistic pieces are part of collections at institutions such as the British Museum, Museum of London, and Ashmolean Museum.
Exhibitions
Garland has showcased his woodcut artworks at the Fine Art Society located on Bond Street. His bibliography includes illustrated editions like Horatius by T. B. Macaulay (1977), An Indian Journal (1983), Twenty Years of Cartoons (1984), Travels With My Sketchbook (1987), Not Many Dead (1990), The Coma by Alex Garland (2004), I Wish… (2007), and Mommy, Daddy, Evan, Sage authored by Eric McHenry (2011).
Honours
In recognition of his contributions, Garland was named an Officer of the OBE during the 1998 New Year Honours.
Personal life
Garland’s first marriage was to Harriet Crittall in 1964; they separated in 1968. The following year, he wed Caroline Medawar; together they had two sons, including writer and filmmaker Alexander. This marriage ended in divorce in 1994. Since 1995, Garland has resided with Priscilla Roth in Belsize Park, London.