Paul Ullrich

Paul Ullrich grew up in Queens, New York. He is a graduate of the High School of Art and Design, and is an Honours graduate from the School of Visual Arts. He and his wife Marge moved to Surrey, B.C. in 1972, where he worked as a staff artist at the Surrey-Delta Messenger and Carolina Publications. He also contributed cartoons to The Coquitlam Enterprise, The Richmond Review and The Westender.

In 1975, he moved to Winnipeg, where he worked in the art department of Bulman Bros. In 1978 he joined the editorial art staff at the Winnipeg Free Press, where he remained for 15 years. During this time, he also contributed illustrations for the Winnipeg Folk Festival, Winnipeg Magazine and the Report on Farming. He taught a cartooning course at the Prairie Theatre Exchange and lectured at the Festival of Language Arts from 1982 to 1984. From 1982 to 1989, he did a weekly comic strip, PEACHES, syndicated by the Copley News Syndicate of San Diego, California.

In 1986 he worked with DOONESBURY cartoonist Gary Trudeau for the COMIC RELIEF and HANDS ACROSS AMERICA projects. Cartoons for these efforts were published in LIFE magazine and in a book, COMIC RELIEF, published by Henry Holt. He also contributed PEACHES cartoons for the American Cancer Society's Great American Smokeout, Global EdMed Supplies, and Guiding Eyes for the Blind.

In 1990, he completed an animation course at the Winnipeg Film Group, and joined the Manitoba Society of Independent Animators, where he served on the board for many years. In 1992, he decided to pursue a career as an independent animator and freelance artist.

His first animated cartoon, SILENCE OF THE CLAMS, has won the Manitoba Motion Picture Industry Association's BLIZZARD award plus an award from the Canadian International Annual Film and Video Festival, and was screened and broadcasted internationally. His second cartoon, LOVE MEANS NEVER ASKING YOU TO SHAVE YOUR LEGS, was also successfully screened and broadcasted across Canada, and has received two awards from the Canadian International Annual Film and Video Festival in 2000.

Paul: "As far as Murals go I just sort of fell into it. Originally I was part of The Manitoba Society of Independent Animators and it was our idea to approach Take Pride Winnipeg to do a Mural about animation. At that time we had no takers. Later they called me to ask me if I was interested in doing a Zoo Mural for Assiniboine Park. Back then, Take Pride's mandate with Murals was primarily to paint bridges and underpasses, and also to work with students from a nearby school. I've worked with elementary school students and high school students and everything in between. I had never painted a wall in my life, but I jumped in for the experience. I didn't want to duck the challenge. It's the same way I've gotten into everything else-animation, teaching: someone would come to me and say 'do you want to do this' and I'd say sure! And I really enjoyed working with the students on each and every Mural project."

He has painted a total of nine Murals around Winnipeg for Take Pride Winnipeg. One of them, rendered for the Red Cross building with a blood donation theme, no longer exists. Since 1997, he has drawn a weekly editorial cartoon for the Transcontinental newspaper group, which publishes four weekly newspapers in Winnipeg. In 1998, he won a Canadian Community Newspaper award for one of these editorial cartoons.

From 1997 to 2002, he was involved with the Applied Multimedia Training Centre, first in an advisory capacity, then as a lecturer for their 3D animation course. He served as a full time instructor for their 2D animation course from 1999 to 2001. "When I got an offer to teach animation at the Centre, I decided to go for it because I had an enjoyable experience already working with students with the Murals. Even though I hadn't done any teaching before, I knew that it would be enjoyable. When you're working with a motivated student it's marvellous and that's what inspired me to accept this position."

In 1996, he wrote, produced and co-directed a play for the Popular Theatre Alliance of Manitoba titled THE WORST THING I EVER DID. He has also produced two programs for four years on VPW public access TV, titled COMICS AND CARTOONS and ROGER ROCKET PILOT. He currently draws editorial cartoons for Transcontinental Weeklies, publishers of the METRO, LANCE, TIMES, and the HERALD here in Winnipeg. He and his wife are currently performing in a theatre group for the Nor'west Co-op Community Health Centre.

An active volunteer, he has served as an Eucharistic minister, lector and bingo volunteer for several Catholic churches in Winnipeg. He was also a Scout leader for three years and a Youth Group leader.

Paul Ullrich lives in Tyndall Park with his wife Marge.

Email Paul at: pullrich@mts.net

Click here to view Paul Ullrich's Winnipeg Murals.