Born as Jack Swanepoel on June 24, 1965, Jack was a boarder at Lowveld High School where he matriculated in 1983, and then completed a graphic design diploma at the Pretoria Technikon five years later.

He then worked for the National Parks Board as their official artist, where he developed a renowned talent for his wildlife art.

Since 1992 "Dr Jack" has been providing a prescription of good humour and great cartoon work as a freelance cartoonist for a wide variety of publications from 'Farmer's Weekly', to 'Noseweek' (whose covers have become synonymous with his fine draftmanship).

Confident strokes work with intricate cross hatching and a keen eye for caricature and composition to define a graphical style considered by many to be the best in the country.

Jack co-created a strip called "Shoestring" in the nineties which launched in the Pretoria News and became widely syndicated in 14 newspaper titles across South Africa and in Namibia, culminating in the publishing of two collections. He has also published a series of illustrated "South African Byrd Books".

Dr Jack's editorial cartoons have appeared in The Sunday Times and more recently in the Pretoria News and other Independent newspaper titles (since 1993), and he also illustrates political features weekly for the Mail & Guardian.

Recently, Dr Jack & ideas man John Curtis formed a creative partnership, collaborating on editorial cartoons which have appeared in The Citizen, Daily Dispatch, Sunday Times, City Press and Mail & Gardian.

Jack's popular sports feature called "Lofty" appears in the Pretoria News twice a week. A huge supporter of the Blue Bulls rugby team, he lives and farms the family farm in White River, Mpumalanga, with his loving wife Mone´.

Jack's editorial work is featured in the 2009 book "DON'T JOKE! The Year in Cartoons"as well as the 2010 collection "JUST FOR KICKS!" which features his work on its cover.