Tell us a little about yourself and your career.
I’ve been working in the animation industry for eight years now, and the journey it took me to get here has been a blessing! As a child I was a ward of the court and had little guidance, so shows like Bobby’s World, Toy Story, A Goofy Movie, The Wizard of Oz, Family Matters, and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air kept me grounded. These shows would later become my main inspirations for choosing a career in animation. However, in ninth grade I was discouraged by a Career Day instructor. I was encouraged to choose another path, mostly because she knew that I had no family that could support me as I pursued an animation career. At age 15, I stopped drawing because I felt it wasn’t realistic to work in this industry.
A few years after I graduated high school, I met my beautiful wife. My wife and her loving family encouraged me to give up my new dream of becoming a tire shop manager and pursue my passion to work in animation. So, at the age of 21, I took my first art class and fell in love with art again. I knew this was my final chance to realize my passion, and I did whatever was needed to improve my skills and achieve my goals. Fast-forward eight years later, and I’ve been blessed to work on shows for Cartoon Network, Warner Bros., and Netflix. I can’t wait for what the future holds.
What challenges have you faced in navigating a career in animation?
Early on in my career, I struggled to prove to myself that I was worthy of working in this industry. I frequently battled with “imposter syndrome,” which I feel is common in people who come from my background. However, the animation industry is such a welcoming environment that I have created long-lasting relationships with people who have become a second family. Now, during the pandemic, as a husband and father of twin toddlers, some of the challenges have been trying to separate work life from home life.
Who are your inspirations in the field of animation?
I could fill pages with artists who have inspired me in animation. However, one person I give all the credit to for encouraging me and keeping me going in this field is Sheldon Borenstein. After My first year of junior college, I was so discouraged because I was barely getting Bs on my assignments. So, I went to Google and searched “how to improve figure drawing,” and Sheldon’s name came up. In one 10-minute video of his instruction, I learned more than I had in that first year of junior college. He really simplified drawing in a way I could understand, and to this day I am proud to still have him as a mentor and a friend.
What do you hope to accomplish as an artist in the animation industry?
Since my first year in the industry, I’ve been going to “career day” at the school where I was discouraged from pursuing animation. I hope to encourage students to pursue their dreams no matter their background or economic status. Also, I grew up in a house that was built over a morgue, so you could imagine the amount of memories that I have. I would love to one day have a show based on these experiences.
What does being in the Union mean to you?
It means a lot being in the Union. I love that there’s a group of people who will fight for your rights, even sometimes for things that you didn’t know you needed. Also, it’s great having other artists that I can reach out to who have similar values.
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