Drawing cartoon-like impressions of people took a Kingsville resident right up to the vice president's door.
Vice President Joe Biden held his annual "beach party" on June 11 at the vice presidential mansion in Washington, D.C., and invited caricature artist Rick Wright to be one of the performers at the event.
"I was mainly doing all the caricatures for everyone," said Wright, whose agents set up the event.
Everyone includes Biden's daughter, Ashley, as well as the vice president. Wright kept the caricature he drew of Biden, which depicts the VP saying that having caricatures at his party is a big deal.
"I [had to] hold back a little bit with the caption," he said, "but I put it in there anyway and he laughed."
Biden even signed the caricature and even though Wright kept it, he said he plans to make a copy and mail it to Biden.
Although Wright has drawn caricatures of celebrities before, he said most of them were from photographs so it was "neat" to do it live. His experience includes caricatures of several Orioles players from his booth outside of Camden Yards, as well as one of former NFL player, the late Johnny Unitas, at a charity event.
"Doing the caricatures has always been a fun job," he said. "You get to meet a lot of people."
In addition to his stand in Baltimore, Wright said he also does various parties, including kids' birthday parties.
"It's a fun thing to have at a party that's unique," he said. "It's something that they can take home with them as opposed to a balloon that's going to dry up in an hour or two."
Wright has been drawing caricatures for about 25 years, he said. Originally a graphic designer, he picked up the technique by watching other artists do it and then he started on the boardwalk in Ocean City.
"[It] was originally a hobby and it turned into an occupation," he said.
He wanted to do caricatures, Wright said, because they were "more fun" and quicker to complete. Serious portraits take longer, but caricatures can take him between five and 10 minutes. The quick time frame is "useful" at a party, according to Wright, because he can quickly move from guest to guest.
Overall, however, he was drawn to it because of his art background, having graduated from the Maryland Institute College of Art.
"I always enjoyed doing that," he said, "and trying to capture someone's likeness."
Wright was able to use his talents and passions at the Biden's beach bash and called it a "really nice affair." He may be invited back next year too, he said. But for this particular party, Wright said he enjoyed meeting Biden and it was a "pleasant evening."
"It was low key," Wright said, "and he was real accessible and friendly and approachable."