Nicola Samori: L’Âge Mûr at the Rosenfeld Porcini

by  George Upton  I  digiQualia.com

 

The painter and sculptor Nicola Samori succeeds where most contemporay artist fila - coupling original, contemporary artistic practice with a consciousness of the History of Art. Working from his studio in the unremarkable, typically Italian town of Bagnacavallo, Samori´s delicately wrought Old Master-esque painting are subject to violent traumas, their faces oozing oil paint that drips down teh canvas while onyx and marble are contorted into liquid froms. 

In his first solo show in the UK, L’Âge Mûr at the Rosenfeld Porcini Gallery in London, Samori is quietly brilliant. His painterly skill is evident in his work -  rendering Caravaggesque forms in a perfect chiaroscuro or the ghostly impressions of a face or figures. And if he were simply regurgitating long established styles of long dead masters Samori would be well remunerated. But what makes his work so exciting, so original and contemporary, is the obfuscation of his traditional skill.

Perfectly executed faces, as in Caton 2014, are viscerally scraped down the work, layers of oil peeled back to expose a muddied under-painting. The illusion of space and light, painstakingly created by Samori, is quite suddenly disrupted by the trauma caused to its surface, inadvertently accentuating the artist’s illusionistic skill. In this instance, Samori’s play between depicted and real, fictious and physical materials, is highlighted by the figure of the painting appearing to be the one causing such violence both to his face and to the picture plane.

This fascination with the skin and what lies beneath appears to interest Samori. In June 27 – Crowned the oil streams down the face of the figure to stain the painting as if it has been left beneath a dripping tap – the damage is only to the surface of the painting. But in Bujo 2014, a modest work, the eye of an ethereal woman is pulled down the painting. A layer of oil concertinas out from its wooden support to reveal a glossy, abstract melange that evokes a viscous mass of melted bones and congealed blood. At the bottom of the work, the eye stares out amidst the blemished paint and flesh

In many ways here, Samori is referencing Damien Hirst as much as he does Old Masters. Samori manages to present death and violent disfigurement in an acceptable way by relating damage to the body - that ruptures the accepted, sanitised surface and confronts the disturbing organic reality beneath - to the damage the artist causes to illusion of space. As with Hirst’s shark or series of dissected farm animals, presenting death and disfiguration in a palatable way encourages the viewer to consider their subconsciously ignored physicality and, ultimately, mortality. 

Samori also nods to older artists through his materials. The practice of painting and sculpture is becoming increasingly less relevant in contemporary art. But Samori not only flies in the face of this trend but actively revives and develops techniques that were used by the Old Masters. In painting on copper, Samori looks towards small format works that capitalised on the metal’s ability to create a unique form of light. In painting on pieces of copper measuring, at their largest, 1.8m by 1.2m, and in other works cutting into the copper to form the image, Samori is creating art with traditional materials in a completely original way.

Samori, then, is a unique artist. While most of contemporary art is moving away from the materials and figuration of the past, away from traditional methods and education, Samori manages to reference the much older artwork while creating something wholly new. With Frieze London just past, an art fair dominated by installation work with little consideration for the dusty halls of Art History, Samori’s exhibition is unexpectedly refreshing.

L’Âge Mûr will run at the Rosenfeld Porcini Gallery at 37 Rathbone Street, London, W1T 1NZ until 17th November.

REPRESENT 2014

 

by  Poppy Field  I  digiQualia.com

Last night saw the opening of REPRESENT 2014, an exhibition and sale of contemporary representational and figurative art in Notting Hill, London. On display is work by over 50 young artists covering a range of genres including drawings, still lives, portraits, landscapes and sculpture.

Details of works by Olivia Crane, Eudald de Juana Gorriz, Jamie Coreth, Oliver Chennells and Vladimir Jovicevic. Photo courtesy of Georgina Stanley.

Despite hailing from all over the world, many of the artists were in attendance.

One such painter, Mitchell Price, had flown in from the United States that very morning. As the first guests came streaming in I wrapped up an interview with Mitch for digiQualia’s upcoming video REPRESENT 2014 . And, although he hadn’t slept for nearly 23 hours, Mitch was, as always, a delight to talk to! Look out for his interview and see for yourself.

  

Mitchell Hill Price and Poppy Field. Photo by digiQualia.

So what is the origin of REPRESENT?

It all started with the enigmatic Georgina Stanley who is currently studying at The Florence Academy of Art (FAA).  When her mother and a friend visited her last October they were impressed with the number of hugely talented and hard-working students... but struck that so many were uncertain about making the transition from the academy to the art market. With Georgina, they decided to create an opportunity for students and alumni to exhibit and perhaps even sell their work!

By Pau Marinello. Photo courtesy of Georgina Stanley.

It wasn’t long before students from other academies began contacting Georgina, expressing their desire to take part. The majority of exhibitors are still trying to fund their way through training. What was once an idea became a reality – REPRESENT 2014.

The overwhelming success of Thursday’s viewing is testament to the dedication and passion of Georgina's entire team.  

Olivia Crane, Georgina’s ‘right hand’, masterminded the astounding website and was also there to assist and support with the endless surplus of admin. Olivia, currently apprenticed to Nick Devereux in Paris, arrived in the nick of time to help with last minute loose ends.

Poppy Field, Georgina Stanley and Olivia Crane. Photo by digiQualia.

But help came from all quarters. The invitations and flyers were designed by the Catalan painter Gerard Castellvi-Gasco; Lee Craigmile from Scotland and Robert Kelly from Australia were on hand for all the framing and hanging, while Sara Chong from Singapore and Oliver Chennells from South Africa attended to the music. 

REPRESENT 2014 is a truly international event with the exhibitors united by their rigorous academic training at world-acclaimed academies in Florence, Sweden and Barcelona.

With increasing numbers of students keen to showcase their work, Georgina knew she would need a large exhibition space.  Having grown up in Notting Hill, she had a perfect venue in mind - The 20^th Century Theatre - an iconic building where Laurence Olivier, amongst others, began his acting career.

 St Marks by Tanvi Pathare. Photo courtesy of Georgina Stanley.

This year is very much a ‘trial run’ for Georgina. However, if it continues to prove successful over the next two days, she hopes to make this unique opportunity for contemporary representational and figurative art students to exhibit in London an annual event. 

Do visit REPRESENT 2014 if you can. I think you’ll find it’s worth it.

By Jordi Diaz Alama. Photo courtesy of Georgina Stanley.

REPRESENT 2014 is open to the public on Friday 12^th and Saturday 13^thSeptember, from 10am to 6pm. And it’s not too far from Portobello market if you have any time to spare!

Let’s Talk: Grzegorz Gwiazda – Part II

 by  Poppy Field  I  digiQualia.com

If you are a returning reader, I hope that you have found a moment to explore the sculptor Grzegorz Gwiazda’s  website. You may have read his biography. Perhaps even Marco Izzolino’s fascinating exhibition essay ‘Gwiazda the heretic’. Yet, if you read my last blog, you may recall I referred to Grzegorz as an ‘enigma’.

So, onto Part II ...

Despite having read much about Grzegorz’s training, his sculptures and his successes, he retained an air of mystery about him. It left me wanting to know more about what makes him tick.  So, in our interview, I began to probe further, to flesh out the facts.

Detail of Anointed, 2013. Photo courtesy of the artist.

‘Grzegorz Gwiazda was born in 1984 in Lidzbark Warmiński.’

It was whilst Grzegorz was at secondary school that he first began to entertain ideas of pursuing an artistic career. Initially, he hoped to be a painter and took part in various competitions, gaining honourable mentions in both of the two-week events organised the Academy of Fine Arts, Poznań and the Academy of Fine Arts, Gdańsk.

However, it was these events that convinced Grzegorz to ‘dedicate’ his life to sculpture. He witnessed how painting was entirely natural to the other artists and realised that this was how he felt about sculpting. Grzegorz’s passion for sculpture grew each year and as his school days drew to an end, during a visit to the south of Poland he came across a monument by Jan Kucz. The power of this monument ‘crushed’ him, he felt he ‘didn’t want to leave the sculpture’.

Just three years later Grzegorz was sculpting in Kucz’s studio! But what route did he follow to get there? 

Anointed, 2013. Photo courtesy of the artist.

‘He studied at Poznań and Warsaw Schools of Fine Arts, and then at Accademia di Belle Arte di Brera in Milan, Italy, having been granted a scholarship.’

In Academy of Fine Arts in Poznań, Grzegorz studied in the studio of Professor Wiesław Koronowski. He attended a whole range of classes; painting, drawing, anatomy drawing, technical drawing, psychophysiology, anthropology, history of art and contemporary art. Sculpture itself was taught only twice a week. But, that didn’t deter Grzegorz. He sculpted almost every day. His first assignment was a life-size clay figure caught in contrapposto.

Having gained a technical foundation, Grzegorz then moved to Warsaw.

Ewelina, 2012. Photo courtesy of the artist.

‘In 2009 he graduated with honours from the Academy of Art in Warsaw (ASP), where he had studied sculpture under Professor Adam Myjak. In January 2014 he was awarded his doctorate.’

Sculpture classes were taught four mornings each week, always in reference to a live model. Drawing and theory filled the afternoons. The fifth day was given over to technical classes, from bronze-casting to stonecutting to ceramics and so on.

Studying under Professor Adam Myjak and Professor Jan Kucz, ‘legends of Polish sculpture’, Grzegorz judges that this academy has had the greatest influence upon his work. He was told that a sculptor needs talent – but character is truly crucial: ‘It formed me as a mature sculptor.’

Soon after, Grzegorz truly began to ‘discover and name elements’ of his own style. Nowhere more so than when on Erasmus at the Accademia di Belle Arte di Brera in Milan.

Detail of Heretic, 2014. Photo courtesy of the artist.

‘Since 2009 he has been working as Assistant to Professor Maciej Zychowicz in the Graphics and Sculpture Department at the Institute of Art Education at the School of Special Education (IEA ASP) in Warsaw. In the academic year 2008-9, he was awarded a grant by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, and in 2010 he received a grant from Inicjatywa ENTRY (Initiative ENTRY).’

Although this financial support was fundamental in enabling Grzegorz to sculpt, he soon discovered that the greatest benefit was discovering he was ‘believed’ in. This encouragement came following his recent graduation, when he needed it most.

Heretic II, 2013. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Seeing a sculpture through to completion is a long process for Grzegorz, though he hates to leave work ‘half way’.

It starts with a concept or a narrative. Grzegorz first pinpoints exactly what it is he wants to say. Sometimes maquettes and drawings follow but ‘there are no rules’. Often the composition is uncomfortable for the model to hold, so Grzegorz also works from photographs. He thinks with his hands, selecting elements from the model rather than simply re-creating.

Grzegorz ‘allows the story to appear’.

Sketch for Cyclist, 2014. Photo courtesy of the artist. 

‘In 2010 his work Behold the man (Oto Człowiek) was honourably mentioned in the international competition of figurative art organized by Fundació de les Arts i els Artistes.

His works have been shown in individual exhibitions in several Polish cities and towns: Lidzbark Warmiński (Warmia Bishops’ Castle, 2008), Warsaw (the Promocyjna art gallery, 2011; the Fibak art gallery, 2013; the 101 projekt art gallery, 2014), Poznań and Mosina (2013), Bydgoszcz (the Wspólna art gallery, 2013).’

Yet Grzegorz doesn’t dwell on his successes.

Instead, he describes how the perception of the viewer has changed drastically in his lifetime due to influences such as television, the internet and even the use of colour in magazines. In comparison to these mediums, Grzegorz’s materials, technique and processes might even be judged as traditional. Like many figurative artists, he is faced with the challenge of accessibility.

Cyclist, 2014. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Recalling an anecdote from his student days, Grzegorz describes how he and a friend were exhausted after a night’s partying. Just before falling asleep, his friend said: ‘In art the most important thing is contrast and mystery’. I wonder if his friend is even aware of how this comment has stayed with Grzegorz.  He abstracts elements of his sculpture, thus creating mystery.  Accessibility follows… the viewer wants to know more.

As for technology itself, he believes ‘photography didn’t kill painting… it released painters’. Grzegorz is not threatened by 3-D printing. He believes that works made in a traditional manner have a unique, instinctive, natural ‘energy’. Grzegorz delights in forming clay - the situation is simple, ‘people just need it’.

Dead Minotaur, 2013. Photo courtesy of the artist.

‘His sculptures have also been displayed in collective exhibitions both in Poland and abroad: Coming Out: the Best Graduates of ASP (Warsaw, 2009), Exhibition of Professors and Graduates of the Department of Sculpture at ASP (Warsaw, 2012), in Madrid (2010, 2011) and Barcelona (2011).’

Grzegorz is glad such exhibitions allow his works to be seen by other artists... he gets so much more by viewing art in person than in photographs. Only when in proximity to the work of his favourite sculptures does Grzegorz learn.

Polish sculptors, working in the second half of the 20^th Century, are Grzegorz’s greatest inspiration. His favourites include: Adolf Ryszka, Gustaw Zemła, Jan Kucz, Jerzy Jarnuszkiewicz and Adam Myjak.

However, he also turns to the work of the Northern Renaissance, Rogier van der Weyden and Pieter Bruegel in particular. More recently Grzegorz has discovered a deep appreciation of the Chinese sculptor Li Xiangqun.

Exposure, 2011. Photo courtesy of the artist.

‘His works are also part of the collection of Museu Europeu d’Art Modern in Barcelona.’

One of the things I discovered about Grzegorz that is perhaps less well known, is the ferocity with which he champions Polish sculpture. Currently he is working with the Museu Europeu d'Art Modern in Barcelona and the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw on the preparations for an exhibition of Polish sculpture of the 20^th and 21^st centuries.

Grzegorz is much more than an artist. He is a committed, passionate participant of the arts.  Watch out for Grzegorz … we’ll be hearing more about him in the years to come.  Of that I am sure.

Various works on diaplay at a recent exhibition at Square Galley, Positano, Italy.  Photo courtesy of the artist. 

Let’s Talk: Grzegorz Gwiazda – Part I

 by  Poppy Field  I  digiQualia.com

Grzegorz Gwiazda forefronts the avant-garde of figurative sculpture. Rather than simply sculpt in reference to nature, he strives to transcend it. To create new, independent entities. 

Little wonder therefore, that I have chosen to present my recent interview with Grzegorz in two parts. In this, the first part, Grzegorz discusses four sculptures; behold the man, Cyclist, Dead Minotaur and Sitting Man. The next takes a closer look at Grzegorz as a person. At what makes him tick.

Grzegorz Gwiazda with one of his sculptures at a recent exhibition at Square Galley, Positano, Italy.  Photo courtesy of the artist. 

behold the man is Grzegorz’s first professional piece. Modelled whilst working on a diploma at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, it marks the beginning of Grzegorz’s sculpture as we know it today. He represents the human body in the reality that we too often ignore: ‘frail and transitory’. Through the unification of the base and figure, through medium, Grzegorz strove to communicate ‘man’s integrity with the world’. Neither is immune to destruction.

By emphasising imperfection, Grzegorz forces his viewer to also consider ‘the material sphere’ of humanity. Yet, he does not deny the body as the reference for aesthetic beauty. The lone figure is placed at the centre of the composition. In this isolation we find the paradox. Grzegorz not only accentuates mankind’s frailty, but ‘pays homage to it’.

behold the man, 2009. Photo courtesy of the artist. 

Grzegorz does not struggle to find inspiration. He considers the work of other artists, social and personal issues… indeed, he ‘investigates’ himself. This ‘auto-therapy’, as Grzegorz has fondly dubbed it, is particularly poignant in Cyclist.

Studying Pieter Bruegel’s The Fight between Carnival and Lent, Grzegorz realised that being human is the ‘coexistence of tragic and comic elements’. And so, the concept of Cyclist was born: balance. And in particular, our inability to find peace amongst daily contradictions. 

Detail of Cyclist, 2014. Photo courtesy of the artist. 

Then came the form. Grzegorz’s figure is caught in suspended animation upon a unicycle. A vehicle traditionally used for show rather than practicality... bold and brash strokes paint the figure like a clown. Forever cycling, but going nowhere at all.

Despite such introspection, Grzegorz does not provide his viewer with answers. Rather, Cyclist is the cipher through which he asks ‘are we able to get somewhere… to a kind of Promised Land? Or is the best thing… to stay balanced as long as we can? Are we travellers or are we playing a role in the circus of life?’

Cyclist, 2014. Photo courtesy of the artist. 

Another work provoked by art of the past is Dead Minotaur.

Picasso’s engraving of Theseus killing the Minotaur unsettled him. Picasso depicts the Minotaur in an almost peaceful manner. To Grzegorz, it ‘didn’t look like a monster’. Instead, Grzegorz found himself sympathizing with the Minotaur believing that ‘It wasn’t the Minotaur’s fault’.

Turning to the original myth, Grzegorz began to consider the mechanism by which Theseus overpowers and outlives the Minotaur. A ball of string. The sword of Aegeus. Grzegorz found himself asking was Theseus so strong? Or was the Minotaur weak?

Did it even matter? Grzegorz had identified that the root of hatred for the Minotaur was in his physical difference.

Dead Minotaur, 2013. Photo courtesy of the artist. 

The adjectives ‘kalos kagathos’ recur in classical Greek texts. Literally translating as ‘beautiful good’, this phrase was summarised by the classicist Werner Jaeger as ‘the chivalrous ideal of the complete human personality, harmonious in mind and body, foursquare in battle and speech, song and action’.

Grzegorz points out that the opposite is ‘ugly and bad’. Like the Minotaur. Grzegorz identified this stereotype in various books, cartoons and films. The physical difference of characters deemed bad allows the audience to recognise them as a threat to social order. Too easily, these irregularities in appearance transform into ‘monstrous elements… signs of sin’.

Finally, Grzegorz found redemption for the Minotaur in the anthropological philosophy of Rene Girard. Girard details the scapegoat mechanism as the origin of sacrifice and the foundation for human culture. Grzegorz thus renders the Minotaur headless.

Dead Minotaur, 2013. Photo courtesy of the artist.

He asks, with a body like any other man, can the viewer still judge the Minotaur as a monstrosity? As a monster?

He says, ‘My Minotaur is more like Christ than a mythological creature’.

This was not the first time Grzegorz broke the boundaries of formal realism. A style so bold he has been styled ‘Gwiazda the heretic’ by the curator Marco Izzolino.

It began with Sitting man.

Sitting man speaks of unused potential. A single male nude figure slouches into a drooping, twisted armchair. Without distinction between skin and cushion the forms melt together. Yet, the man’s oversized hands are defined. Their strength and power recalls the hands of Pope Julius II as painted by Raphael… but in Grzegorz's sculpture such ‘potential is wasted’.

Sitting Man, 2011. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Grzegorz began modelling with ferocity, quickly finding the form. It was ‘fresh’ and ‘powerful’. But, as the work came closer to competition, this once visible energy disappeared. When his sculptures threaten to be ‘lost’ Grzegorz knows it is time for the ‘real sculpting’ to begin. He searches reality and strives for depth. He imbues it with questions, wanting each piece to ‘be an enigma that you want to solve.’

I soon discovered that the greatest enigma is Grzegorz himself. But more of this in my next blog…

Detail of Sitting Man, 2011. Photo courtesy of the artist.

The advent of summer

 by  Poppy Field  I  digiQualia.com

For me, the advent of summer in London is marked by two things: a glass of Pimms and The Royal Academy of Art’s Summer Exhibition. This year, summer got under way on Wednesday, 4^th June as leading figures in art, entertainment and fashion mingled in Burlington House, Piccadilly for the Summer Exhibition Preview Party.

This is the world’s largest open entry exhibition.

It has been running uninterrupted since 1769 - almost 250 years! Inventions such as the bicycle, transistor, electro-magnetic induction ring, computer, germ theory of infection, radio, internet, internal combustion engine, nuclear power, communications satellite and even light bulbs have dramatically changed the fabric of our everyday existence. Nine British monarchies, 43 US Presidents and 50 British Prime Ministers have ruled. Yet, the foundation of the Summer Exhibition remains unchanged. Anyone can enter their work. 

Installation view of Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2014 c. Benedict Johnson

Co-ordinated by Hughie O’Donoghue, 2014’s selection and hanging committee was made up of the artists and architects Eileen Cooper, Gus Cummins, the late Richard MacCormac, John Maine, Chris Orr, Cornelia Parker, Eric Parry and Emma Stibbon. The committee are ‘servants to the submissions’. Their challenge is to ensure each work looks its very best whilst ensuring the relevance of The Royal Academy.

This year saw the first ever digital submission, with over 12,000 entries! The hanging and selection committee work together to select works by both emerging and famed contemporary artists in three stages. Those shortlisted were soon subject to scrutiny at the Academy. Then, whilst making the hang, the final cut of about 1,200 works was made.

O’Donoghue describes the selected pieces as combining to create ‘a wild garden, an exotic place where things surprise you and grab your attention’.

Such contrasts occur throughout the show.

Just step into the room hung by Cornelia Parker. Black and White in theme, her desire was to create a ‘visual firebreak’ amongst the exhibition’s ‘riot of colour’. Dotted between works by previously unknown artists, you can spot a new pair of paintings by David Batchelor, a vitrine full of black and white drawings by Alison Turnbull and a billboard by Bob and Roberta Smith (Patrick Brill).

A further billboard by Bob and Roberta Smith is on display. Inspired by Eddie Mair’s interview of Dr David Nott on New Year’s Day 2014, it details Nott’s efforts to save lives in Syria. Measuring almost five by four metres, the transcript is hand-painted and took nearly five months to complete.

Installation view of Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2014 c. Benedict Johnson

Over the last year, ten new Royal Academicians were elected. In recognition, their work is displayed in the prestigious position of the Wohl Central Hall. It is the first room the viewer comes across, and is also visible from various other rooms.

The latest generation of Royal Acadamicians is comprised of Thomas Heatherwick, Neil Jeffries, Chantal Joffe, Tim Shaw, Conrad Shawcross, Yinka Shonibare MBE, Bob and Roberta Smith and Wolfgang Tillmans. Newly elected Honorary Academicians are El Anatsui, Marlene Dumas and Rosemarie Trockel.

Shonibare reflects that these artists were, until recently, thought of as ‘enfants terribles’… whereas they are now considered ‘as part of the establishment’! Indeed, the sheer variety of work exhibited is testament to how Art has developed. Initially, only easel paintings and plinth-based statuary was displayed at the Summer Exhibition. Once criticised as being ‘out of touch’, the establishment itself has also transformed.

Installation view of Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2014 c. Benedict Johnson

The Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition is open from 9th June — 17th August, Main Galleries, Burlington House, London.

Let's Talk: Tom Bancroft

 by  Poppy Field  I  digiQualia.com

Tom Bancroft cannot recall the defining moment when both he and his twin brother Tony decided to pursue careers as illustrators. Rather, Tom describes a series of ‘tiny light bulbs’.

Tom Bancroft at his animation desk. Photo courtesy of the artist. 

As children, Tom’s drawings were inspired by the Marvel comic books, the Peanuts comic strip and Mad magazine. He and his brother adored watching Ray Harryhausen’s fantasy films and Star Wars. Later, during their teenage years, the twins devoured art books, learning basic drawing principles and copying the work of artists they admired. In college, they discovered stop motion when a friend made a clay animation short film on a Super 8 Camera. That summer, the three students collaborated on a project, leading to Tom and Tony's enrollment at the California Institute of the Arts to study Character Animation. Here they continued to add to their artistic foundation before being hired to work at Disney during their sophomore year!

At this time, an illustrator’s success at Disney was determined by their ability to master drawing, performance and animation. Tom’s very first job was as an assistant clean-up artist to Mark Henn, well known for characters such as Jasmine, Belle and Young Simba. From the beginning, Tom made it clear that he hoped to progress to animation but moving up at Disney required working on tiny snippets of film, in the hopes of a better and bigger scene the next time.

Drawn as a graduation present for a family friend. Photo courtesy of the artist. 

Soon enough, Tom’s opportunity arrived when Mark Henn was working on ‘The Rescuers Down Under’. In one scene, the character McLeech kicks a pot of boiling water in rage. Mark’s original close-up of the lower half of McLeech’s body failed to please the directors so he gave Tom the chance to redesign it. One week and six different animation designs later, Tom had his foot in the door!

As a first time Supervising Animator, on Disney’s ‘Mulan’, Tom was assigned the character of Mushu the dragon. Although a huge challenge, and with other animators and clean up artists to oversee, Tom remembers this as a ‘dream assignment’. Mushu’s part in the film grew and grew. Recognition came in the form of nominations for an Annie and a Ruben award. Even now, Tom cites Mushu as his greatest creative achievement. And while he hopes to one day surpass this, Tom remains content regardless.

Photo courtesy of the artist. 

Working on an animated film requires a great deal of interaction and communication between different departments. For each sequence, there are multiple meetings held between the heads of each animation department and the directors. Even in the very early stages of animation, each shot is analyzed to identify any potential problems! However, on a day-to-day basis, an animator can easily pop over to the layout department to discuss matters like the dynamic between a pan layout and character.    

Tom’s passion for comic books, comic strips and literary illustrations has provided a springboard for his career, allowing him to develop in multiple directions. In his younger years, experimentation with these meant that Tom didn’t finish every project. More recently however, he has made the conscious decision to bring every project to completion and get it ‘out in the world’. Tom’s rapidly growing fan base is a testament to this.  

Yet, for many years Tom didn’t interact with his fans. Not during the decade spent at Disney, nor the seven subsequent years co-running an animation development and illustration studio in Nashville. Furthermore, to be an animator and not live in Los Angeles is to be ‘unknown’. So Tom has turned to the internet. With profiles on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr and Deviant Art, Tom dutifully posts sketches, creates T-shirts designs and responds to as many commission requests as possible. And while he regularly receives invitations to deliver lectures, speak at schools and animation studios as well as freelance opportunities, it is the ‘interaction, especially with fellow artists,’ that Tom truly enjoys.

T-Shirt design for a contest with the theme 'Retro Future'. Photo courtesy of the artist. 

Although Tom’s character design depends entirely on its purpose and patron, his approach always begins in the gathering of as much reference material as possible. Imagine he is designing a beagle dog character. First, he will use an online search engine to collect images of real beagles from as many different angles as possible. After gaining an understanding of their anatomy and natural poses, Tom begins to sketch. He might design between five and eight dogs, each with different shapes and proportions. Then, depending on the beagle character’s personality and place in the narrative, Tom will refine his focus and develop just one of these initial sketches. Following a few final tweaks, Tom creates an ink or graphite final drawing to scan into Photoshop. Then a colour model can be made.   

'Sad Beagle'. Photo courtesy of the artist. 

While these pencil and paper drawings account for about 90% of Tom’s work, he is open to try entirely digital animation. Especially as scanning a stack of drawings is ‘not pleasurable’!  Realistically, Tom knows digitalization is the future for animators. He and many of his contemporaries ‘hate, complain about and fight’ this… but they also have to be ‘sane’. Today, Tom will tell any young animator to master both traditional as well as computer graphic animation tools. 

For those aspiring animators seeking advice, Tom champions the belief that one must first concentrate on drawing skills before learning colour, painting and rendering. He explains that this is at the heart even of modern art: ‘knowing what to leave out… is just as important as what you put in.’ It is for this reason Tom is frustrated that many art schools don’t focus on the foundation of drawing. Tom’s own journey continues as he learns to draw better and ‘better every day’. Once dubbed as ‘Disney’ in style, Tom’s artistic voice has strengthened such that, regardless of the subject, his characters are instantly recognisable. This is particularly true for his female characters for which Tom has created a formula of sorts. These figures have been affectionately dubbed as ‘Bancroft Girls’ by fans.

Photo courtesy of the artist. 

Tom also loves to teach. It all began when he created some video-based lessons following his design books ‘Creating Characters with Personality’ and ‘Character Mentor.  Today, this takes the form of Taught By a Pro, an online collaboration with Richard Lanham. Similar to digiQualia, Taught By a Pro invites renowned animators, comic artists and illustrators to teach in their areas of specialisation.  Subjects include comic strips, comic books, character design, animation, illustration, and video game concept art, among other things. 

Alongside writing a third instructional book on character design, Tom is the Head of Character Design for the series ‘Superbook’. Aired on the Christian Broadcasting Network, Tom has created character designs for seasons two and three. Yet, Tom somehow finds the time for freelance work and to update his web comic ‘Outnumbered’ every Monday. Semi-autobiographical in nature, this features one man’s journey in the world of women… more specifically his wife and four daughters!

'Outnumbered' posted on April 14th 2014. Photo courtesy of the artist. 

But what about the future? Tom is adamant that he has not, and never will, stop learning.  Furthermore, in recognition of his own artistic mentors, Tom hopes to continue supporting younger artists through Taught By a Pro. And, he is also working on his very own animated feature film. With an outline already drafted, this is just beginning to move forward - so watch this space!