All right gang, this is it. (I will stand my ground and say that my 2 readers formally constitute a gang!) The Totoro Forest Project is now formally being announced and the organizers have created this nifty website that will tell you all about it in more detail. Above is my framed contribution to this great cause.

In quick summary, this will be a charity auction to help save the “Totoro Forest” in Japan which was the inspiration for Hayao Miyazaki’s masterpiece “My Neighbor Totoro.” The auction will take place at Pixar Animation Studios on September 6th. But please make sure to visit the website for the full details, since there is so much more, including a book cataloging the event and all the art, and an exclusive exhibition at the Cartoon Art Museum!

The website is not fully complete as they still need to get some more artwork and artist bios up there, but it should be filling up soon. I learned that, like my own piece, some of the artist’s scans weren’t so great and so they are taking the time to re-photo or scan those paintings for better quality. My big thanks to Yukino Pang of the Asian Art Museum who told me she could arrange to have a higher quality photo taken of mine.

Another big thank you goes to my friend Dice Tsutsumi, art director at Pixar, who invited me to participate. I am truly thankful, and am deeply in awe of all the artists that are participating.

The finished illustration from here. The scan is a bit funky because of a gloss coat over the painting, but ah well. This piece will need to find a happy home with someone at a charity event coming up. The event still has not been officially announced, but I will send out links and info as soon as I am able. And yes, there was a theme… It’s going to be a doozy!

Am I allowed to gloat? I got to see the final installment of Lucas’ Star Wars prequel trilogy at Pixar today. And it’s not even out on theatrical release yet! Mmm, digital projection and unbelievable sound… Don’t worry no spoilers here. I was pleasantly surprised with how it turned out, given the results of the previous two films. My only gripe is some rather sappy dialogue, wooden acting, and a few continuity slip-ups. The effects, of course, are stunning. Not a perfect film by any means, but great fun to watch. And may I say that I’m so happy the Wookies make screentime? Chewie was always my favorite!

An interview with storyteller extraordinaire, Brad Bird….

Finally had a chance to see The Incredibles a couple nights ago, and have to say, was thoroughly impressed with the final product. Have to give props to a couple hard-working and very talented people I know at Pixar — Katherine Sarafian, the production manager and Paul Topolos, the one-man matte department. I’m happy to see Pixar experimenting with storylines that contain darker elements. They made a gamble with this particular film in that it doesn’t neatly fall into the same glossy package as Monsters Inc or Finding Nemo. (Both spectacular, by the way.) I always felt that animation shouldn’t be locked into the saccharine stereotype that so often is the case. (Thank you Michael Eisner…) Rather it’s just another medium to tell a story, and so far, Pixar has made stunning use of this fact. In the end, it’s all about the story…