|
|
|||||||
|
I always loved to draw, and have been drawing for longer than I can remember, but growing up on a farm in Alberta, Canada, I was a long way off from my career goals. There wasn't anyone I could ask about it or job shadow for a day, no books at the library, and certainly no studios even remotely close by. I owned a single animated film on VHS - a copy of Disney's Robin Hood - so I began there, freeze-framing through it all, and filling my sketchbook. After I finished high school I began searching more aggressively for a career in the animation industry. Every lead told me that a 2-year foundation in the arts was the first step. I enrolled at Red Deer College in the Fine Arts Program and began to develop a more sophisticated skill-set, all the while researching and honing my cartooning and animation skills. In 1996, after 2 years of study, I had earned my diploma, but I enjoyed the education experience so much that I studied for a 3rd year! Life Drawing was indispensable as was Art History, and I excelled at Sculpture. I was headed toward a BFA, and it was a blast...But it wasn't animation. Nearing the end of 3rd year, I discovered a new multimedia/animation school opening in Calgary and enrolled right away. Unfortunately, it didn't teach me much of anything that I hadn't already taught myself in my own self-studies. It did, however, land me an internship with a local graphic design company. It was while working there that I met Kandrix Foong, the man I would marry, and the rest, as they say, is history! Or at very least, history in the making! Within the year, we had both parted from that company and formed our own - KONsequential Studios - in 2001. We co-created and produced the 8-issue comic book mini-series A Monk's Tale and began travelling the comic convention circuit, exhibiting and networking. Throughout the duration of producing the mini-series, I freelanced; teaching art and animation fundamentals. Over the course of the next 7 years I found myself instructing in a range of settings, from government-funded community programs to independent filmmakers' organizations to university campuses. As A Monk's Tale wrapped up, we were searching for the next idea to develop. In 2008, I launched "Pure Heroine" - a compilation of various female characters as pinup models. The title quickly gained a large fan base, and continues to grow! Kandrix began managing my career which led to a variety of new opportunities, gigs, and collaborations with other creators and studios. Included on the roster of clients are Top Cow Productions, Paul Dini's "Dini Cartoons", Nickelodeon and Topps Trading Cards, as well as numerous others that remain in development. I currently work from home, freelancing on both industry and independent properties as well as traveling the convention circuit. We continue to call Calgary home. |