GCU Community

Today’s Design Spotlight shines on an artist with a unique and irreverent sense of humor: Ron Kanfi from NobleWorks. Visit his store to see more of his work.

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Greetings and salutations!  My name is Ron Kanfi, and I have been addicted to creating and publishing funny cards since 1983.  I’ve published thousands of cards over the years, and picked this (medically approved, of course)  saint card perhaps for its controversial flair but also because this provides for the opportunity to plug one of my books, “Saint Misbehavin;  Modern Day Saints You Never Heard Of” benevolently published by Running Press.  St. Dude proudly graces the cover of this scholarly collection of updated, current and oh-so relevant modern-day saints (editor’s note to self: as opposed to Latter-Day Saints).  Most of my saints and saintesses  were born as greeting cards which originally had a gold leaf embossed  trim, as does the book cover the interior pages (available for easy ordering on Amazon, I’m just sayin’ ).

Saint DUDE, shown above, is the best selling card, of course, and has been smoking hot going on 13 years, a Bar Mitzvah!  Though the cards do not include them, the book incorporates each saint’s bio and life story, also known as a hagiography (I am told) and of course what qualified them, and only them, amongst so many other righteous applicants, to be sanctified.

I have blissfully created a whole bunch of controversial humor content over the years, however the Saints cards seem to have hit a unique nerve.  Some Catholics, including devout church-going folks, find them heartwarming and amusing, while others find time in their busy lives to partake in letter-writing protest campaigns and organize boycotts.   Well, it is (still) a free country the last I checked. To each his own.  No one is forced to buy, read or like them.   Bette Midler once said, and I paraphrase –‘ F them if they can’t take a joke’.  As far as I can tell and can see from my perch on top of Mount Sin, is that laughter and humor are pretty much come as close as us mere mortals  can get to what some might call “God”, be Her who she may.   Sorry for that rant. I will now dismount the soap box now.

I have lived with MS, or Multiple Sclerosis, since 1990.  You guessed it: clearly I have been punished by  God , mainly for publishing the Saint Cards and perhaps  a couple of other deeds.  And here I thought She was busy with all those world peace shenanigans–who knew?  However FYI, on most days W/we get along sort of okay, God and I.  Particularly those days when I remember to laugh, or at least smile, and, lucky for me, humor is my job, so I am all set. None the less things get a little ugly at times, but hey, shit happens, even to incredible being like myself.   I got really good at getting up off the ground when things get bumpy, grab my cane and cheerfully hobble over to the next bump, laughing the whole way.

To feel a little better about myself, and hopeful to redeem at least a couple of my many sins, I founded Live Without Limits in 2010.  Oddly enough, I noticed that MS fundraiser events were more often than not revolved around a physical activity, kind of chillingly ironic, if you ask me.  For example, the bicycle-ride fund raising event did not offer any serious accommodations or bikes suitable for people with MS to use, like adult tricycles. The idea behind Live Without Limits is to promote the concept and encourage particularly advocate organizations to take one extra step beyond the ADA, and for companies that rent bicycles to offer three-wheeled bicycles so people who have MS can participate along with their friends and family in their own fund raising events.  Often people with MS often have trouble with balance and these bikes would offer the stability that they are missing from standard bikes. These bikes are also great for the elderly or people with many other disabilities.  At the moment, we’re looking for sponsors, and, one day, would like to see these bikes being available across the country.  Honk, if you think this idea rocks and you want to be a part of it!

And on a final note, I’d like to leave you with this little pearl of wisdom I learned from my Mommy, or was it the Mayans? I’m not quite sure.  Anyway, the point is you need not worry too much about always finishing what you started; it’s not the end of the world, if you know what I mean.

Today’s Design Spotlight falls on Kate Taylor, who makes very sweet illustrations, indeed.

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Hi, I’m a freelance cartoonist /illustrator who works from home, which is in Yorkshire in the UK. My work has been used on many cards, calendars, in books and even animated for a children’s television series. I love to try and incorporate humour into my cards, and where possible, animals.

I particularly love drawing cats, but this favourite card  from my civil partnership range, shows a happy couple arm in arm, standing  with their devoted dog.

I love bright colours and hopefully my cards bring a smile to someone’s face.

In my spare time I like running marathons around the world. I’m not fast, but I like travelling, and as I run slowly, I get a good chance to look around and discover new places.

You can see more of my work at my website.

Best Wishes,

Kate