I’ve been thinking about what inspired me about animation and drawing. It started with life drawing and trying to get something on the paper that looked right. The process of learning how to draw was intoxicating to me.It quieted my head. Gave me direction and passion. Then there was California Institute of the Arts. A contradiction to match the one that was me. The art school of the avant guard – John Cage, John Baldessari, and the school of Disney animation. It was controversial because of the vastly different artistic ideologies. The time period at Cal Arts was high lighted in a Vanity Fair article, March 1 2014.
I was walking thru the main gallery around lunch time and saw a small group of people standing around someone playing tunes that I had heard somewhere. Turns out it was Benny Goodman giving an impromptu concert. Mel Powell the then head of the music department and old friend and band mate of Mr Goodman’s had invited Goodman to perform. What an incredible happening.

     That experience became  

inspiration for a later project.