Te Awamutu cartoonist draws to lift community spirits

Self portrait by cartoonist Lance Prutton, with help from Photoshop.

For over a decade Lance Prutton has been an occasional contributor to the Te Awamutu Courier and Waipa Post — his topical cartoons generally raising a smile, sometimes raising some questions, as good cartoons do.

His first published cartoon was at the time of the proposal to build a Pak'nSave on vacant land on Cambridge Road.

His latest have been almost daily commentaries on the Covid-19 situation — from pre lock-down to life under Level 3.

Lance has been drawing as long as he can remember — something he started as a boy growing up in the small village of Arsley in Bedfordshire, UK.

"I can't remember when my love of drawing started, but it was probably from watching my eldest brother who also drew," he says.

"All the way through school I thought that art would be the path I would follow, but my father was more practical.

"He didn't think art school was for anyone in his family and steered me into the trades."

Lance became a carpenter, which he also fell in love with, and has been building for 38 years since leaving school.

In 1998 he made the move to New Zealand, meeting his future wife in Hamilton.

The couple moved to Te Awamutu in 2000 to build a home.

Lance runs his own business, and despite that and a busy family life, still makes the time to pursue his passions for drawing.

He draws in the morning before work, while listening to music.

"It relaxes me and puts me in a good frame of mind for the day ahead," he says.

"I like to capture a scene or image that is topical and hope other people enjoy looking at them as much as I enjoy drawing them."

Each cartoon takes Lance between two and three and a half hours.

Lance's older brother was born with a bone disorder and drawing is one of the things he can no longer do. Lance reminds himself daily that even his worst day is better than his brother's best.

"It reminds me I have a lot to be grateful for," he says.

Lance is also grateful to have some of his cartoons published and hopes they raise a smile.