Here are a couple things I discovered this weekend while visiting home for Christmas. I found my very first record album I ever owned! My parents bought me this It’s a Small World folk song album when I was probably about three years old. I remember listening to this incessantly, and as you can see it’s pretty well worn. A children’s choir sings various folk songs, and of course the theme song is thrown in there. The words to the songs are on the back, so when I was old enough to read, I would sing along with the record.

I also adored the album art as a kid. I loved all the different costumes on all the children, and I remember trying to guess and figure out where each child was from based on what they were wearing. And what do I discover now? This fun and striking art was done by none other than Mary Blair. Signed by her on the lower right corner. Fitting, since she designed the ride at Disneyland!

Also, I came across my maquette for Julius, my character from my animated short Elegy. This was the first sculpture/maquette I ever created, not counting a bust I had to make for a class ages ago. I made this about four years ago with sculpey and painted him with acrylics as part of my pre-production for my animation. There are supposed to be puppets on strings hanging from his hands, but I never had the chance to attach them. I actually had sculpted the little puppets too, but they were reeeaaally clumsy. As is this maquette, but I still find it charming.

Julius holds a special place for me. His character pops up for me now and then, in some form or another. I’m sure you’ve noticed that in his most recent incarnation he’s been enjoying the snow with his red umbrella. He’s become a bit shorter since the making of this maquette and the animation. I liked the soft warm glow of the Christmas tree lights that bathes him here.

I got to see a screening of Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis last night at the newly remodeled Sundance Kabuki Theater. It was quite the event, with complimentary hors d’oeuvres and popcorn, a man playing some lovely music on a giant standing bass, and media and press people flitting about. But the star was Marjane who was there herself, along with her co-director of the animated film.

Based on her autobiographical graphic novels, Persepolis follows Marjane’s story of growing up in Iran during the revolution, and her life outside of her homeland, when she flees. The animation closely follows the stark black and white graphic style of her comics, but has also been flourished with shades of gray and minute instances of color. There are so many striking moments, visually, graphically. Some scenes are told with only images, and ultimately end up being more powerful than if they had included dialogue.

Marjane discussed her story and her views in a brief interview on stage before the screening, and her striking firebrand of a personality really burst through. However, her sly humor also was very apparent. And despite the horrors that she faced during the revolution in Iran, and some of the horror that is depicted in in her story, Persepolis is just as much about the humor and absurdity of life and of coming of age in this modern world. I loved it, and will see it again when it is released in theaters.

I just had a chance to check out the the animation design of Mary Blair over at the Cartoon Art Museum. I wasn’t aware of Mary as one of the first women concept designers for Disney, or her work by itself. However, you instantly recognize her style, since her designs and color styles are distinctly apparent in such classics as Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, Peter Pan, The Three Caballeros, and more. She designed the It’s a Small World ride in Disneyland! You can’t escape her work. We have all grown up with her style and whimsy, and I find myself smiling at images of her art that keep popping up in my mind. She managed to capture something iconic, full of warmth, surreal, and yet playful in her designs. I can only hope to try to emulate some her essence in my own work. Go check out the exhibit! It’s up through March 18th, 2008.

Maverix Studios is hosting another art auction, this one benefiting Glide Memorial Church, here in San Francisco. Finally I’ve come around and made a piece for this one! The auctions are always a great event to raise money for various causes and I’m happy to be able to contribute.

Some of you may remember Julius from Elegy. He somehow always finds his way back…

The list is getting longer! Elegy will screen in Hypefest, July 29-31 in Hollywood, CA. It’s also made it into the Woods Hole Film Festival in Cape Cod, MA, screening from July 30 - August 6.

I was notified yesterday that Elegy was a finalist in the prestigious USA Film Festival in Dallas, TX. This particular festival is an Academy Award qualifier, so it’s rather exciting to have even gotten to finalist level!

Elegy will be showing in the following festivals — the Moondance International Film Festival in Boulder, CO. And the Jackson Hole Film Festival in Jackson, WY. All in all, very exciting. The weekend of May 12, Elegy will be screening at three different festivals at the same time! The Kalamazoo Animation Festival, Antelope Valley Independent Film Festival, and Moondance International Film Festival.

Elegy has won Best Animation at the San Francisco Women’s Film Festival. I had to miss the event, but it’s fantastic that so many people are seeing something special in this piece!

Elegy will be showing at the Kalamazoo Animation Festival in Kalamazoo, MI, and the Antelope Valley Independent Film Festival just outside of Los Angeles. Both festivals are on the same weekend in May, the 13-15. Heather Blackmore, the short film coordinator for the Antelope Valley festival caught the screening of Elegy at South by Southwest in Austin, and invited me to screen at her festival. Very cool! Ever since Elegy received the Special Jury Award from SXSW, I’ve been getting invites to submit to several festivals, including Montreal and one in Paris.

Elegy has won Best Animation over at the Zoie Film Festival! You can check out the films online.