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Francis Cleetus (Template:IPAc-en) is an American cartoonist,[1] painter,[2] and sculptor.[3] He is also a creative director,[4] graphic designer,[5] and copywriter,[6] who has worked at various ad agencies including Foote, Cone & Belding, Ogilvy & Mather, J. Walter Thompson[7] and Doe-Anderson[8] in India, Hong Kong and the US.
A member of the National Cartoonists Society of America, Cleetus is the author of two It's Geek 2 Me tech cartoon compilations. He has created contemporary art inspired by Indian themes for multiple art shows in the US. He has also developed advertising campaigns for global brands including Moen,[9] Maker's Mark,[10] and MTV.[11]
Cleetus lives in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, and continues to work on visual art, brand advertising, corporate communications and pro bono projects.
It's Geek 2 Me cartoons
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8f/Group_shot_of_cartoon_characters..jpg/300px-Group_shot_of_cartoon_characters..jpg)
A tech cartoon about people and their off-center relationships with technology, "It's Geek 2 Me" pokes fun at its ubiquitous role in people's lives. Cleetus self-published his first compilation of tech cartoons in 2012 titled Wish Your Mouth Had A Backspace Key in the United States through Amazon.com.[12] In 2013, a new compilation titled It's Geek 2 Me – Total Timepass Tech Toons[13] was published by Hachette India for the Indian subcontinent. He has also drawn tech cartoons for the Pittsburgh Tech Council's TEQ magazine,[14] Tata Consultancy Services' @TCS magazine and other publications.
Contemporary Indian art
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/15/Francis_Cleetus_adding_finishing_touches_to_a_mural.jpg/300px-Francis_Cleetus_adding_finishing_touches_to_a_mural.jpg)
In February 2012, the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh commissioned Cleetus to recreate ceiling murals from a 16th-century palace[15] for their Tropical Forest India[16] exhibit. The Asia Institute – Crane House in Louisville invited him to host a solo exhibition[17] in June 2017. Pittsburgh's Not-white Collective featured his paintings in their 2018 juried exhibition[18] "In Between the Middle".[19] In January 2018,[20] the Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council (GPAC) showcased "Karmalogue", a themed show that featured Cleetus' paintings, drawings and sculptures[21] as part of the Gallery Crawl[22] organized by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. In August 2018, the Westmoreland Cultural Trust put together "Conglomeration",[23] a group show that included his work. The RAW artists organization invited Cleetus in November 2018 to participate in their Pittsburgh creative showcase "Ovation"[24] that featured over 60 artists.[25] In January 2020, his paintings were part of the "Past, Present, Future" exhibit[26] organized by GPAC[27] along with 140[28] other visual artists.
Advertising campaigns
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fb/KYTourism1.jpg/300px-KYTourism1.jpg)
Cleetus has created multimedia advertising campaigns for global brands at ad agencies in three countries. After spending his formative years at Draft FCB in India, he moved in the mid-nineties to Hong Kong and worked at Ogilvy, JWT[29] and D'Arcy, before relocating to the United States in 2001 to work at Doe-Anderson.[30] In 2007, he moved to Pittsburgh-based agency MARC USA.[31] His advertising campaigns[32] have crossed geographic as well as cultural borders and won creative awards in Asia, Europe and the US.
Photo art for dogs
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a0/Two_dogs_who_love_art.jpg/300px-Two_dogs_who_love_art.jpg)
A lifelong dog lover, Cleetus launched a collection of conceptual photography art just for dogs in 2019.[33] The entire collection[34] is conceived from a dog's perspective of the world,[35] and features larger-than-life dog portraits; fire hydrant centric scenery; dog food still life and renderings of chewed-up tennis balls.[36] The artwork[37] is specifically designed to be hung at a dog's-eye level near the food bowl and brighten up the pet's personal space.
Pro bono work
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/PICK_5K_Event%2C_Sept_14%2C_2019.jpg/300px-PICK_5K_Event%2C_Sept_14%2C_2019.jpg)
In 2009, Cleetus worked with the Epilepsy Foundation of Western & Central Pennsylvania at MARC USA to create a community outreach ad campaign. The ads recreated the disruptive effect of seizures,[38] and the slogan 'seize back' urged people to help. Since 2013, Cleetus has been on the board of directors, executive committee and design team at Pittsburgh Indian Community & Friends,[39] a non-profit that hosts the Annual PIC5K Run[40] in the city. The organization has raised over $650,000 for more than 30 local charities[41] including the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank[42] and the Allegheny County Fire Academy,[43] among others.[44] In 2021, Cleetus was invited to participate in the FISA Foundation’s “Southwest PA Says No More”[45] initiative in partnership with the Heinz Endowments and United Way. He joined a diverse group of Pittsburgh dads[46] to take a Father’s Day Pledge to help prevent sexual assault and domestic violence.
Compilations
- Total Timepass Tech Toons (August 2013, Hachette India, )
- Wish Your Mouth Had a Backspace Key (October 2006, Amazon.com, )
References
External links
- Cleetus with a 'C' as in Creative
- "It's Geek 2 Me" tech toons
- Fine Art for Refined Dogs
- The Office of Public Art: Pittsburgh
- Pittsburgh Artist Registry
- Total Timepass Tech Toons on Amazon.in
- Wish Your Mouth Had A Backspace Key on Amazon.com
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