| Francis Cleetus | |
| Nationality: | American |
| Occupation: | Cartoonist, painter, sculptor, creative director, graphic designer, copywriter |
| Notable Works: | It's Geek 2 Me |
Francis Cleetus 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.
See main article: It's Geek 2 Me.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.