Ron Campbell’s drawn his place in pop culture

Cartoon animator Ron Campell attending Area 61 gallery reopening

Ron Campbell, animator behind cartoons that have entertained three generations of families, will be in town on Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 16-17, to appear at the grand reopening of Area 61’s new gallery, 730 Chestnut St.

The 78-year-old artist will be in Area 61 Gallery from 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

Not only will Campbell be exhibiting his artwork that spans five decades, he will also be painting. It’s a rare opportunity to see the master cartoon artist at work.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the release of “Yellow Submarine,” the classic Beatles animated film. Campbell animated 12 minutes of the film and is credited by Al Brodax in his book, “Up Periscope Yellow,” with saving the movie by tying together several segments into a cohesive storyline.

In addition to artwork from “Yellow Submarine,” Campbell will exhibit his work from other beloved cartoons that have become part of pop culture: Scooby Doo, Winnie the Pooh, Yogi Bear, Rugrats, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Flintstones, Jetsons, Smurfs and more.

All work is available for purchase. Campbell said each buyer receives a certificate of authenticity on which he puts his distinctive stamp of approval: a drawing of one of his characters done on-site at time of purchase.

For more information: 423648-9367.

CONTRIBUTED IMAGES Animator Ron Campbell played an integral part in the creation of the classic Beatles film, “Yellow Submarine,” which marks its 50th anniversary this year.

Many of the futuristic inventions seen on the “The Jetsons” have become reality, such as telephones on which callers could see each other on their screens and traffic round-abouts.