Charley Krebs never thought his penchant for doodling would someday score him an impromptu hot dog with Joe Mantegna in Burbank, Calif.

When a reporter at the Berwyn Life, where Krebs was employed as the staff cartoonist, wrote a story about the actor’s induction into the Hall of Fame at Morton East High School in Cicero, he felt compelled to go all out with an illustration for a fellow alumnus.

“His office actually contacted us and wanted the original drawing to frame for his office,” laughed Krebs, a Riverside resident. “I happened to be going out to California, where he does the voice of Fat Tony for ‘The Simpsons,’ so I called his assistant, went to go drop it off and ended up going for lunch with Joe Mantegna at a hot dog (stand) he owns.”

Hollywood bigshots aren’t the only ones who’ve appreciated Krebs’ award-winning cartoons. His technique immediately caught the eye of Garry Henderson, director of exhibitions at the Riverside Arts Center, and Henderson began the tedious, years-long process of convincing the artist to show his work.

Krebs, now 51, finally agreed and will be honored with a summer-long exhibit of his extensive body of work at the Riverside Arts Center. A kickoff reception for “Black and White and Read All Over,” which will feature about 70 pieces printed in various publications over the last 30 years, will be held Friday.

“Doing a show was an idea we had kicked around for a long time,” said Krebs, who now works in the production department at Suburban Life Newspapers. “I hate the word ‘retrospective,’ though, because that means you have to be old. And I’m scared – frightened to death, really – of how this is all going to pan out.”

While Krebs was sorting through decades of his inventoried cartoons to pull samples for the gallery exhibit, he amusedly tracked the progression of his artistic skill. With no formal training, Krebs had to find his own way, and he tried out different looks before settling on his signature style.

Krebs’ uncle, Don Lauer, was an artist and a huge early influence, regularly giving the budding cartoonist tutorials. But his hobby became an obsession with the help of the satirical Mad Magazine and Bill Mauldin, the Chicago Sun-Times legend who Krebs said is the benchmark by which all cartoonists are measured.

“Most Americans remember watching TV coverage of Kennedy being shot and have those iconic images branded in their minds, but for me, it was Mauldin’s full back-page cartoon of Abe Lincoln’s statue mourning with his head in his hands at the Lincoln Memorial. It had such power, such impact for me,” he added. “It was the first time I became aware that this was an artform that could be more than just drawing Snoopy.”

From 1979 until just a couple of years ago, Krebs regularly created illustrations for Suburban Life opinion pages and feature stories. And during that time, he came to see his art as a gateway for readers – a graphic shorthand for the text on the page or a viewpoint expressed visually. His talent was recognized nine times by the Illinois Press Association and six by  Suburban Newspapers of America since 1996.

Henderson attributes Krebs’ success largely to his ability to depict something that resonates with readers.

“He has a real eye for the community. No one understands the western suburbs and its players better than Charley, and he knows exactly how to make that connection for people through his art,” Henderson said. “He’s got a warm wit and doesn’t resort to low blows for humor. Charley’s smarter than that. That’s what has made him so well-known and well-loved in Riverside.”

Krebs said he tries hard to steer clear of insulting caricatures and, instead, strives for nailing a person or landscape’s most identifiable features.

“I want to get as accurate a likeness as I can – whether it’s the façade of Proviso West (High School) or the mayor’s face. I want you to recognize the Riverside business district on Burlington Road,” he said. “So I do a lot of research. I’ll sit on the shoulder of the road with a zillion cars going by so I can inspect the Village of Hinsdale sign or search for a picture of the State Capitol building in Springfield and study its angles and details.”

For Krebs, the process of conceptualizing a cartoon always started with a collaborative meeting with the assigning editor. He would learn about the topic and get contextual background, and then the pair would sit around exchanging ideas and jokes, “going back and forth trying to make each other laugh.”

Then, Krebs would mentally compose the cartoon like a movie frame.

“Once I had conjured that up, I maybe made a rough stick-man sketch to block it out,” he said. “I draw the cartoon in pencil and even write out the lettering – nothing is left for improvisation. Then I go over them in pen to get different line values, depth and texture before scanning it into the computer to add gray (shading).”

Krebs has drawn everything from a family tree for a story on genealogy to a humorous train illustration for a piece on residents whose lives were disrupted by a railroad. But he is best known for his political commentary and musical-themed cartoons. The jazz aficionado even draws a monthly feature for Chicago Jazz Magazine, which has earned him some buzz.

“When you’re doing it for work, you’re just concerned about meeting deadline,” Krebs said. “You don’t realize how much work you’ve wracked up. I’m lucky I’ve been able to sustain and perpetuate what I love.”