Tell us a little about yourself and your career.
For my whole life, I have always loved making all kinds of art and followed any path that would allow me to learn new ways to be creative. After graduating from ArtCenter, I worked as a designer in theme park design for about five years. Then, wanting to try something new, I decided to go into the animation industry and have been working as a Background Painter and Background Designer for the past seven years, and I absolutely love it. It is so fulfilling for me to be able to spend my day making fun art as a job while getting to work with a team of people all working together to create something awesome.
What challenges have you faced in navigating a career in animation?
By far the biggest challenge in my career is happening right now. It is dealing with the uncertainty of what is going to happen next with the animation industry. Up until the end of last year I was lucky to have consistent work, but this year work has been very slim. I’m still optimistic about the future, but the uncertainty and loss of stability has definitely been my biggest challenge. What helps me get through that is to look on the bright side and use this extra time to do more fun personal work and draw more cute rats!
Who are your inspirations in the field of animation?
My inspirations in the animation industry have been pretty much every artist that I’ve worked with. I have learned a lot from just seeing people’s work, and I love getting to see all the creativity and fun little ideas and details that every person brings to each project.
What do you hope to accomplish as an artist in the animation industry?
My goals as an artist in the animation industry are to help create fun shows that connect with people, to grow as an artist, and to have fun. I don’t necessarily have ambitions to be an Art Director or anything. I would prefer to continue spending my days making lots of art and growing my skills. I love the idea of giving someone the same feelings I would get when I was a kid watching cartoons or reading a story.
What does being in the Union mean to you?
Being in the Union gives me a big sense of security and makes me feel less alone. I am terrible at negotiations, and being a part of a union that helps protect artists and keep things fair is extremely invaluable for me. I especially feel lucky to have a Union now during these turbulent times.
Learn more about Sophie at her website.
Follow her on Instagram.
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