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 has also illustrated political features for the Mail & Guardian. Jack's popular sports feature called "Lofty" appears in the Pretoria News twice a week.
In 2009 Dr Jack & ideas man John Curtis formed the creative partnership 'DR JACK & CURTIS', collaborating on editorial cartoons which have appeared in most of South Africa's major newspapers, and they are now a regular feature in City Press. The two cartoonists scooped an international award in Berlin in 2013 for a cartoon marking the Organisation of African Unity's 50th anniversary.
A huge supporter of the Blue Bulls rugby team, Jack 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.
MEET DR JACK'S 'LOFTY' HERE
See DR JACK & CURTIS' collaborations HERE
