The Totoro Forest Auction!

yay! the totoro auction was a big success! i spent the entire evening running around, but wow it was fun! there was so much beautiful artwork—so much love from around the world—one couldn't help but be impressed. I was so pleased to see my friends and co-workers in attendance and I was also lucky to meet some wonderful artists from outside the studio:

Martin Witting, Bobby Chiu and Kei Acedera, Richard Vander Wende, Alina Chau, Chris Turnham and Kevin Dart, Jony Chandra, Tim Heitz and Christian Ward. i can't believe that there is still a cartoon art museum show to look forward to...




congrats to enrico, dice, yukino pang & ronnie, and everyone involved on a great evening! the photos above are by the very talent miss Deborah Coleman and were posted HERE on AWN.

The Battle of Algiers

freedom and independence for the people of algeria!
from the incredible film The Battle of Algiers by Gillo Pontecorvo
recently, i've been challenged with the notion that nature eclipses nurture. it's a ridiculous argument. everytime someone asserts that artists are born with some inherent brillance, some unfathomable talent beyond skill, they dismiss the years of effort and struggle it takes to accomplish great things.

sure natural affinity exists, but it doesn't develop without education, experience and nurturing. growth doesn't strike us in some single shining moment, but occurs gradually; it's a process and it's hard work--maybe not for mozart, but i think that even he put in some hours. the question isn't can you, because yes you can. the question is whether you're working hard enough and smart enough and getting the support you need.

anyway, for the last few months i've been instructing the gesture drawing class at pixar with my friends alex and louis, and over the course I find us repeating the same concepts and ideas. I'd like to make a few posts to crystallize my thoughts on these subjects. drawing is something that can be learned and improved upon and Art, capital-A Art is within everyone's grasp.

Education, Experience, Nurturing. Tonight is the Totoro Auction, so expect a post after the weekend. until then, make artwork! go!