In 1967, after a lifetime of cartooning both himself and friends, Lex Graham published his first BACK FORTY CALENDAR. Lex is not only a cartoonist, but also an artist, sculptor, farmer and rancher from Archer County, Texas.

After years of trying to make a living at what he was not good at, cowboying, Lex started doing what he was good at, cartooning. These cartoons evolved into a calendar. Soon several business friends began buying them to give away to their clients.

Lex jokingly states that they only bought them to see his reaction to having enough money to put more than a dollar's worth of gas in his pick-up. Now these same calendars that depict country life with a humorous twist are sold all over the United States and Canada.

Lex and his wife, Kathy, live on a ranch with their Border Collie, Jack Russels, barn cats, horses, cattle, goats, miniature donkey, chickens and guineas. The BACK FORTY CALENDAR is published right there on the ranch as it has been for 40 years. If you call Lex's office and he is out in the pasture feeding cattle or at his drawing board, you will probably talk to Gerri. She has "run things" for as long as anyone around here can remember!

If you ask Lex where he comes up with ideas for these cartoons, Lex grins, "My abilities and my bad decisions are a constant source of material, as are my friends, neighbors, grandchildren and other family members."

If you meet Lex in person, you too may become a part of his cartoon world! Now, take a minute, sit down and enjoy a sneak preview of Lex Graham's take on county life in next year's BACK FORTY CALENDAR.