Tell us a little about yourself and what you do at American Dad?
My name is Joie, I’m 35 years old, my favorite color is aqua, and my favorite dinosaur is a parasaurolophus (The important questions, you see). I’m currently working at American Dad as a storyboard artist, and I’ve been there for about two years. In my spare time, I love attending dance classes and hoarding glitter! I also really like unicorns.
When did you know you wanted to pursue animation as a career and why?
I’ve always wanted to draw and tell stories for a living, so while I was deeply entranced and inspired by animation as a child, it took me a while to figure out what my path would be. My career began with illustration—telling a story with one single image. Then I moved into comics, which is telling a sequential story with lots of images. It only seemed like a natural progression that animation would be the next step, as it’s even MORE images to tell a story! Wait, am I working harder or smarter? Hmm. Well anyway, I like telling stories visually, so here I am.
What inspires you in your work?
I take inspiration from all sorts of my experiences, hobbies, and humor in life. I’ve collected a lot of stories over time, and like to infuse them into my work wherever possible. For example, recently my dance training has been playing into several small projects I’ve done, and that makes the work extra fun! Any excuse to take super awkward reference footage is a win in my book.
Why did you decide to become a shop steward?
Having been a freelancer for a large portion of my career, workers’ rights are super important to me. The world is rough out there! Because there were so many closed doors to me earlier in my career, I want to make sure I leave doors open behind me wherever I go. Being involved with the Guild as a steward seemed like a great way to work toward that!
Learn more about Joie on Instagram @heyjoieart or check out her website at www.joiefoster.com
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