2025, the year in review

December is here. As the holiday season is in full swing and the end of the year rapidly approaches, I find myself looking back before looking forward. No small amount of time this year was spent looking at and learning about art--not just appreciating but trying to gain a greater understanding of the how's and the why's of these works.

Claude Monet at the Flint Institute of Arts

When the Flint Institute of Arts brings in a painting by your favorite artist of all time, and it's one that you have never seen in person before, driving to Flint becomes a moral imperative.

The Sheltered Path, 1873. Claude Monet

Harryhausen in Kalamazoo

One of my friends turned me on to an event in Kalamazoo, the Ray Harryhausen collection--one filled with models and artwork from his films but also valuable instructional information on how he achieved his groundbreaking special effects. Wish I could've taken all my History of Animation students there.

This is Dynamation!!!

Butterflies and Lanterns

Spring wouldn't be complete without a trip to Meijer Gardens for their Butterflies are Blooming event and then a side-trip to the John Ball Zoo for their Chinese Lantern Festival.

Tiger Longwing
Heliconius Ismenius

The "Hou"

Dragon Forest

Much like the Chinese Lantern Festival event in Grand Rapids, attending the Detroit Zoo's Dragon Forest event was part business, part pleasure. I was fascinated by the detail in the statues, but even moreso with the animatronics and how the sensors were set up to make the whole event interactive. But the 12 year old kid inside me who grew up playing Dungeons and Dragons was absolutely giddy with excitement when encountering all these mythical beasts.

Fire Dragon

DIA Research

This year, I spent a fair amount of time looking into abstract animation. When I came across one of the few books written about visual music posted online, I tried to find my own. However, didn't want to plunk down the cash before taking a look at it. Fortunately, it was the Detroit Institute of Arts to the rescue! After reviewing the book in their on-site library, I added a copy to my own collection of animation books.

Visual Music: Synaesthesia in
Art and Music Since 1900

Ottawa 

In addtion to enjoying the animated films at this year's Ottawa International Animation Festival, I made sure to keep an eye out for interesting and unique works of art as I walked around Canada's capital city.

Art Nouveau

I've always liked the Art Nouveau style though I must admit it was only at a surface level. I'd appreciate the technique but never dug deeper into the history. Enter the Muskegeon Museum of Art and their special exhibition on Art Nouveau. Had never known about the sculpture and furniture that came out of this movement. Afterwards, one of my friends, having heard my desire to learn more, gave me an early Christmas present: a beautiful hardcover book on Alphonse Mucha.

History Lessons

So sometimes you read a student's paper and it causes you to reevaluate what you're teaching. One the assignments in my history class is an analysis paper on the one film I've shown in class that they liked the least.

After reading a student's paper on why they didn't like Rhythmus 21, I went back to that section of my lecture and reread what I had written about Hans Richter and Viking Eggling. To put it mildly, my summary was a mess. After revisiting my initial research—which included multiple textbooks on animation history and Swedish cinema history as well as Louise O'Konor's biography on Viking Eggling—I rewrote my summary on Richter and Eggling’s working relationship then issued a clarification to my students. Humble pie never tastes good, but it's a necessary meal to have.

Candelight by Fever

In what's becoming a yearly tradition, the week before Christmas, I attended a candlelight string quartet performance at the downtown Methodist Church--an evening of classic and contemporary Christmas carols.

But, as the year draws to an end and Christmas is this week, I'm reminded about what the season really means--as so eloquently stated by Charles Shultz.

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thank you all for your support over the years.

* * *

Animated Events: Art Nouveau on the West Side

I'm an old-school gamer. No surprise there. But I'm also a collector. At this point in my life, I pretty much have everything I want for the collection, save for a couple books. So I like to visit used bookstores, smaller gaming conventions, and I do haunt eBay with my list of saved searches. Well, the other day, my old college roommate let me know of a big 'gaming garage sale' over in Muskegon that would have lots of board games and RPGs on display. My curiosity piqued, I gathered up the shopping list and drove out to the west side of the state. The event, well, it was a bust. Turns out while it was well stocked and well attended, it was 99% board games, most of which were those Euro games that require you to memorize a manual the size of a small encyclopedia before you could start playing. Not my scene. I left after ten minutes.

Fortunately, there was another event in town worth attending: the Muskegon Museum of Art had this big exhibition of Art Nouveau prints and sculpture.

While I like this style of artwork, I have to admit that I'm not very well educated on it. So it was a pleasant surprise learning about the sculptures and ceramics that were produced in step with the Art Nouveau style.

Dancing Lady with Lilies, 1899
Eduard Stellmacher

l: Vase with Fire-Breathing Pterodactyl, 1905-06
r: Vace with Two-Winged Dragon, 1899-1900
Eduard Stellmacher

Looking at the sculpture, ceramics, and prints, it left me with the desire to learn more. I read every title card and narration they had. It left me wanting more. One name kept coming up over and over again: Alphonse Mucha.

Biscuits Lefvre Utile, 1896
Alphonse Mucha

Fuchsia Vase, 1900
Daum Studio

There was also some other artwork in the museum outside of the Art Nouveau exhibit that caught my eye.

Silver Evening Light, John Andersen, 2025

Organic, Xavi Francis, 2025

And down in the basement gallery, there was an additional exhibit of prints and figure studies by Alphonse Mucha from the Museum's private collection. I left the museum a couple hours later, determined to learn more about Mucha's history and artwork.

Study for Decorative Figures
Alphonse Mucha, 1860-1939

On the way out to the car, I met a very friendly squirrel. Unfortunately, I didn't have any food on me, but will be sure to bring a bag of peanuts with me next time.

The exhibit will be available until January 11th. If you get a chance, check it out before it's gone.

* * *

Animated Events: Ottawa International Animation Festival, 2025 edition

It's Fall and the leaves are changing here in the Midwest. I've received that odd psychological surge of renewal that comes this time of year. After twenty-one years of schooling, September has always felt like the beginning of the year to me. Every year since grad school, walking outside to see the colors reminds me of one of those epiphanies provided to me by my professor Marla Schweppe. We were talking about abstract animated films and how I didn't see the purpose of them. Marla suggested that I go outside, look at a tree with its colorful foliage, then defocus my eyes. I did so, and the purpose became immediately evident. With my eyes defocused, all form and structure was gone and what was left were these vibrant patterns of color. One key to why people create abstract animated films was now firmly lodged into my consciousness.

Speaking of Fall and abstraction animated films, it was time for my yearly pilgrimage to the Ottawa International Animation Festival.

I was looking forward to this trip in particular as I had purchased a new (used) car several weeks prior and it was time to break it in with the 18-hour round trip drive to and from Canada's capital. The foliage was in full color mode. The weather was clear and sunny. And Ottawa was as beautiful as I remember.

Much like in previous years, my colleague Jim Middleton shared a hotel room and drove out to the festival. We talked film and animation history and photography and gaming the entire way there and the entire way back!

Moving from venue to venue, more often than not I found myself soaking up the scenery--trying to be a little more observant of my surroundings, not for security or anything like that, but looking at architecture, foliage, even the little signs that people posted on telephone poles. One of the things that stood out to me was a city-wide art project.

Back in 2017, Ottawa had a program to cover junction boxes with artwork. It's been eight years and I had difficulty finding one or two that hadn't been defaced in some shape or form. More than just youthful mischief, some of the artwork I saw had the eyes scratched over. It hurts my heart to know that some people are so broken that they have to destroy beautiful things instead of just appreciating them. But I made it a point to photograph every one that I could find, if for no other reason than to enjoy them in later years and hopefully find some inspiration for my own art projects.

Well at the festival, it looks like the torch for the annual Friday animators picnic had been passed. No longer sponsored by Cartoon Network, this year it was sponsored by NetFlix. Along with the annual pumpkin carving contest, I had my own personal reunions as I caught up with some ASIFA Central members that I don't get to see very often as well as my fellow former R.I.T. graduates Glenn and Sarah.

On the walk back from the picnic, I had the opportunity to stop by a used book store and meet the store cat: "Milo". Whenever presented with the opportunity, always engage in a little fuzz therapy.

"Milo" at 'Barely Bruised Books New & Used'

Didn't see as many friends and colleagues as I had hoped. Wanted to talk to Steven Woloshen about his film conservation work. Was really hoping to catch up with J.J. Sedelmaier about his progress on turning his historical animation tools exhibit from the Grohmann museum into a travelling exhibit. Was of those years, I suppose. It happens. The film selection this year was pretty broad. Lots of different stories and animation techniques. Some of my favorites this year were:

Fusion by Richard Reeves: This abstract experimental animation hit all the marks: not too long, not too short, audio complimented the visuals, and the visuals reminded me a lot of the films that my former professor Stephanie Maxwell created. Not surprising since this was a direct-on-film animation. Was hoping to share a trailer but was pleasantly surprised to find an interview with Mr. Reeves regarding his creation.

I Beg Your Pardon by John W. Lustig was one of those slow-burn comedies where in every scene you keep expecting one thing to happen only to have your expectations subverted.

The Girl Who Cried Pearls was a hauntingly beautiful film by Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski. And as good as the visuals and animation is in this film, it's the story that really hooked me and kept me riveted from beginning to end. As this is an NFB film, I can't wait until the festival run is over and they put it on their website and YouTube channel. Looking forward to sharing this film with friends.

Existential Greg by Will Anderson. Well... that was... something. I spent the majority of the film baffled by what was going on and flooded with memories of my aunt's weird showcats. The slow reveal of the cat's expressions are what really got me. This turned out to be a really fun film to experience.

@will.i.anderson Trailer for new short film EXISTENTIAL GREG 🙀 #b3d #blender #3danimation #geometrynodes #mocap ♬ original sound - Wi🤘 Anders👌n

Unfortunately, I couldn't fit any of the features into my schedule. Was hoping to see Yasuhiro Aoki's film ChaO. As ChaO was Produced by Studio4°C, I knew that it was going to be a visual feast. Hopefully GKIDS will pick it up for North American distribution.

And before I knew it, the week was over and we were on our way back home to the States.

Next year: the 50th anniversary of the Ottawa International Animation Festival

* * *