Jeff MacNelly (1947–2000) was a dominant force in American cartooning, a talent evidenced by his three Pulitzer Prizes for editorial cartoons and two Reuben Awards. His widespread popularity stemmed from his syndicated comic strip, Shoe, which debuted in 1977 and featured a cast of anthropomorphized birds working at The Treetops Tattler-Tribune. In addition to his celebrated work in journalism and comics, MacNelly was a talented fine artist, spending his winters in Key West, Florida, where he dedicated time to painting and sculpting. His Key West artwork captured the unique spirit and local flavor of the island, displaying the same superb draftsmanship and sense of the ridiculous that made his cartoons so influential.