Local artist gives blank walls some character

JUNGLE BOOK- Simi Valley painter Jerry Foote, standing in front of one of his pieces, turned his love of cartooning into a business.

By Angela Randazzo

Drawing on the walls might land you a scolding as a kid, but for Jerry Foote, 37, it's become a way to make a living.

A local artist, Foote uses his abilities to produce colorful murals for family rooms and businesses. The catchy name of his venture: "Cartoon Rooms by the Foote."

"The kid in me likes to please the kid in everybody," Foote said. "When someone has a passion for a character they grew up with, I like to bring that out in different ways."

The idea for his business came about nine years ago, Foote said, when he and his wife, Josie, 32, were expecting their first child.

"We wanted to do something special for the nursery and paint different cartoon characters on the walls," Foote said. "I thought I'd dedicate one wall to each character. A friend of mine, a sign painter, said, 'I think you have a business here.'"

Word of mouth spread quickly and soon neighbors were soliciting Foote to do their child's room.

ROOM WITH A VIEW- Said Foote, "I started doing it on weekends and didn't know what to charge." Here he works on the bedroom wall of Simi Valley residents Tiana and Kaija Fortuna.

"I started doing it for fun on the weekends and I didn't know what to charge. It was more like in exchange for things they did for me," he said.

This October the Simi resident heeded the sign painter's advice and his family's urging and started the business.

"Our whole family said, 'Go for it,'" according to Josie Foote. "He's so talented it would be a waste if he didn't share it with everybody."

The Footes moved to Simi Valley three years ago because of the good schools and safe neighborhoods. They've grown along with Foote's artistic endeavors.

Josie is a stay-at-home mom caring for three children: Joel, 8; Jessica, 5, and Janae, 1. Joel and Jessica are students at Township Elementary School.

"I like my daddy to draw the Power Puff girls," Jessica said. "I like to draw flowers and butterflies."

Foote said his passion for art started as a child when he loved anything to do with cartooning.

"When I was a kid growing up watching my favorite cartoons, I would take out a piece a paper and start to draw," he said. "And then I started to understand how to develop that talent."

After graduating from Chatsworth High School, Foote attended college in Utah and then locally at Moorpark Community College. He continued his education at the Art Institute of Los Angeles, in Santa Monica.

"I love to use different mediums to express myself artistically," Foote said. "I even took a metal sculpture class in college. Everything from watercolors to chalk to pen and ink to oils. You name it. I've done it."

Foote earned many art awards in high school and college and at the art institute. His work carving the faces of well-known news anchors on pumpkins, recently featured on area news spots, has brought him the nickname "The Pumpkin King."

But right now, Foote said, he's focusing his talents on murals for nurseries, children rooms, recreation rooms and businesses.

One of the local businesses featuring Foote's work is Gramma's Place, an indoor playground and party spot for kids under 6.

Foote painted a leafy tree on the wall. The birthday child's name on a cut-out blue bird was then added on a branch.

"One of the things we offer with our party package is the kids get their name on the birthday tree. We had a paper cut-out tree one that wasn't as good as we hoped," said Ann Teitelbaum, Gramma's Place co-owner. "Jerry came in and thought we could get a better-looking tree. He was very easy to work with and the tree came out beautifully."

In his spare time, Foote teaches cartooning to kids in his neighborhood. Son Joel is one of his students.

"I like what he teaches in the art class about the shapes," said Joel, a second-grader. "I like to draw things that I make up like flying cars and superheroes and villains."

Foote said he enjoys his work whether he's drawing cartoons or painting murals.

"I tell people to think outside the box if they need an artist to draw up some ideas or a logo for their business," he said. "My satisfaction is helping bring out something they had in their mind into reality."

To learn more about Foote's work or to contact him about putting a mural in a home or business, call (805) 577-0542 or visit www.cartoonroomsbythefoote.com.