Falls Church Cartoonist Shares Story, Art With Community

He may not have the face recognition of his cousin, star of The Hangover's Zach Galifianakis, but Nick Galifianakis is a star in the world of cartoonists.

The work of Nick Galifianakis, a Falls Church resident, was on display Thursday night at ArtSpace of Falls Church. The event, sponsored by Falls Church Arts, drew more than a dozen people who wanted to meet the acclaimed cartoonist.

“I aimlessly doodled until I was in college and then I got an opinion,” Galifianakis said. “I had something to say, so I said it.”

Winner of this year’s National Cartoonists Society Reuben Award in the Advertising Illustration category, Galifianakis is one of the many artists featured in the ArtWORKS series. Barb Cram, president of Falls Church Arts, said the series features artists who make their living creating art. Galifianakis’ work will be on display through Friday.

Ask him who’s funnier, him or his cousin, and Galifianakis will quickly joke he is. The award-winning cartoonist said he regularly communicates with his cousin. In the exhibit at ArtSpace, there is a private commissioned painting of three of the characters from The Hangover, including Galifianakis.

“Zach is a genius,” Galifianakis said. “He’s a comedic genius.”