About the Artist

Jim Weicherding grew up seeing first-hand the results of child injury and trauma due to his extensive stays at Shriner's Hospital in Minnesota.  Jim was born in St.Paul, Minn.  From the time he was five years old until his 16th birthday,  Jim spent months at a time at Shriner's Hospital with wards filled with other kids that were hospitalized for numerous reasons related to injuries and trauma.  Jim would create cartoons and artwork for the other kids to color in and draw as a way to help them forget about their pain and fears. The doctors and nurses would pass the artwork around to the kids and even display them on the walls of the hospital for parents.

 

When Jim entered grade school the teachers would pass out copies of Jim's cartoons & artwork to the classrooms and would even read his short stories to the kids a couple of times a year.  Jim was first published at the age of 9 in a school publication that went citywide into grade schools in St.Paul the year he moved to Rhode lsland.  When Jim entered High School his artistic talents were used on many levels for the students and faculty.  He was always asked to create and illustrate regularly in school.

 

In the mid 1990's Jim would find himself creating cartoon characters for child safety in newspapers in Rhode lsland and then for child safety advocates and organizations that were searching for creative ways to help keep kids safe.

Buckle up all of us,The Fearless Dino Protector Squad, The Bus Stop Kids, and the Lil' Skipper & Clam Cakes Cartoon Characters are just a few Intellectual Properties Jim has created for teaching kids about their safety and also raising awareness.  Jim has received many awards and recognition for his dedicated creative contributions in regards to injury prevention and child safety.  His talents have been, and continue to be, utilized by many local, state and federal child safety advocates and organizations.

Jim donates his cartoon characters as coloring cartoons and pages to police departments, fire departments, non-profit organizations, child safety advocates and media groups to be featured on their websites for kids and their families. That list continues to grow.  Jim's cartoon characters for child safety are also featured in tens-of-thousands of coloring books that are passed out to students into grade schools each year to help educate them about their safety. The characters are featured on safety tip items and products for kids and displayed on giant billboards to remind kids and families to be safe.  Buckle up all of us, The Fearless Dino  Protector Squad, The Bus Stop Kids and the Lil' Skipper & Clam Cakes Cartoon Characters are featured in their own Kids Newspaper and on restaurant menus and placemats teaching kids and their families to be safer when on the roadway, in their homes, at the bus stop or at school and on the water every day.

 

Jim's future plans include Children's Picture, Coloring and Activities Books as well as a series of Animated DVD's for kids featuring all of his very popular cartoon characters and storylines.

 

Anyone with any questions regarding Jim's Cartoon Characters and Storylines can contact the creator directly at jwpisces4l@ aol.com