What is your greatest achievement?
I'm still so early in my career, 3 years out of school, but sometimes I realize I've actually done well formyself already. As well as freelance illustration, I am a design supervisor at Powerhouse Animation Studios, an Austin animation service studio. 1 year in, I have lead animation credit in Disney's Epic Mickey 2, wherein I animated Oswald The Lucky Rabbit in his first ever scenes of dialogue since the character's inception in 1927. 3 years in, I am credited as Art Director for the recent 'It's A Small World' animated series for Disney Interactive, creating a Mary Blair-inspired world akin to the original Disney
Land ride. I'd love to mirror this animation success in my illustration career!
How would you describe your work/style to someone who hadn't seen it?
Think 50s and 60s animated commercials and add color!
What piece of advice would you give your 15 year old self?
Stop drawing robots so much. There are other things to draw! Oh, and give up on acrylic paint. Gouache is totally better.
When are you happiest?
In day to day life, I'm happiest driving to some fun local Austin adventure with my fiancé, Caitlin Alexander, a fellow illustrator, while singing to good music. In my career, I'm happiest when I'm really in the groove with an illustration and the perfect song comes on shuffle. You can just feel it. This is the life. Know what I mean?
What is the worst job you have had?
I worked at a really crummy dog kennel one winter break from college. So much dog poop/pee…you have no idea.
Who would play you in the movie of your life?
People say I look like Michael J. Fox all the time, but in the 80s, so I guess he's out. Who's the kid from 'Almost Famous'? When my hair is shaggy, I get him a lot. Is he still acting?
What is your karaoke song?
See, the problem here is I have immense stage fright. I've only been able to do karaoke twice. One was Elvis Costello's "(I Don't Want To Go To) Chelsea", and the other was Jim Croce's "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown". Neither of which are popular enough for karaoke, and probably bombed. But I got to feel smug about my music selection. I'm such a rebel.
What 5 things can't you live without?
As much as I hate to say it, I am thoroughly attached to my electronics(1). Phone, computer, nintendo, TV. Outside of that, I could never live without tacos(2), barbecue(3), music(4), and the required nod to the love of my life(5).
What is the greatest invention of all time?
Wow, that's tough. As a science nerd, that's really hard to answer. In my bias toward space exploration, I'd say the Hubble Space Telescope or the Curiosity rover scooting around Mars right now are pretty high up there!
If you didn't do what you do, what would you do?
I have two other passions outside art, and they are songwriting and science. I suppose if I didn't create art, I would have much more time for writing music. But there's the whole stage fright thing. And as much as I love science, I'm definitely not brainy enough to be of much use. So I guess I would be the most nervous stage-performing musician ever. Yuck.
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