Tell us a little about yourself and your career.
Well, I’m an illustrator and designer currently doing freelance color design for Cartoon Network and development work at DTVA. I’ll also be working at Netflix in the summer on an unannounced project. Other studios I work for include Warner Bros., Titmouse, and Nick.
Before graduating from MICA [Maryland Institute College of Art] last year, I did a four-year internship at Warner Bros. Animation where I learned the ins and outs of the animation pipeline while also being mentored by other animation professionals and crew like Brandon Vietti, Spike Brandt, and the team that created ThunderCats Roar.
I’m the head organizer of #drawingwhileblack, a viral hashtag event to promote Black artists around the world, and I created the directory that corresponds to it.
What challenges have you faced in navigating a career in animation?
At the very beginning of my career during my internships, I did feel a bit isolated. I think not only being the only Black person on most of my crew, but also the youngest , I felt that there was a disconnect that I didn’t know how to navigate yet. That was one of the main reasons why I started #drawingwhileblack. I wanted to connect with other Black artists in the industry and build a community that was there to guide and support each other.
Also, while I do think it was a great privilege to start my career a bit earlier, it hasn’t come without trials. There have been multiple instances where others attempt to exploit me due my age and assume I lack the proper language and courage when it comes to advocating for myself. That’s why I’m forever grateful to those in the industry who took the time to educate me about negotiating and understanding my rights as an artist in the industry. I hope to pass the knowledge I gain to my peers.
Who are your inspirations in the field of animation?
For starters, I was always a fan of Lauren Faust, Chris Battle, Craig McCracken, and Genndy Tartakovsky’s work as a kid! They were definitely big motives for me to start working in animation. Of course, I’m also inspired by [more] current artists/creators like Rebecca Sugar, Tiffany Ford, Kat Tsai, and Tara Nicole Whitaker whose work helped transform my own when I was in high school and college and continue to inspire me. … There are so many people who inspire me in this industry, it’s hard to pick just a few!
At the very beginning of my career during my internships, I did feel a bit isolated. I think not only being the only black person on most of my crew, but also the youngest, I felt that there was a disconnect that I didn’t know how to navigate yet. That was one of the main reasons why I started #drawingwhileblack. I wanted to connect with other Black artists in the industry and build a community that was there to guide and support each other.
What do you hope to accomplish as an artist in the animation industry?
I definitely want to work on more long-term projects and eventually move up to being a color supervisor or art director within the next few years. I also want to expand beyond design work and do some storyboarding and directing! Hopefully one day I can become a showrunner and lead a project.
I think beyond my own personal goals, I also want to be part of the efforts to make this industry more inclusive! I want to provide resources and tools to other artists trying to break into animation—especially other Black artists.
Is there anything else you would like to share about you or your projects?
If you would like to be part of, or have access to, the #drawingwhileblack directory, please email me at drawingwhileblk@gmail.com.
Discover more about Abelle and their work:
abellehayford.com
Instagram.com/abellehayford
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