What does that mean? I think 2016 got a bad wrap for obvious reasons. For me, personally, I will admit it was challenging, but so is every year. It was a perfect storm of morbidity – the popular stars of a very nostalgic period were succumbing to life’s demands, a fussy way to say life sucks, then you die.
I’ll even add that David Bowie passed away on my last day of vacation in January – I read that news right before I went to sleep.
Unbasics – for me this means trying something new as much as possible. Throwing out some old solutions or just using different means to different ends. 2016 was a very rushed year in terms of work, both personal and professional and returning to things as simple as graphite on paper pleinair work.
For me that was a stretch – digital work is my bread and butter. But the pleinair work forced me to get some much needed fresh air and relaxation. I had a massively busy, though not very profitable, 2015, and 2016 needed to be different.
Gary Hutzel, my friend and employer for many years passed away in 2016. As did Ron Thornton, one of my first employers in the animation business. It was enough to me me look at my career in the light of “have I been doing this so long now that people around me are dying?” Sure felt like it.
For most of 2016 I just didn’t want to do things the same way – and not even do the same things. LinkedIn would give you the impression I am a character animated but truth is I spent most of 2016 doing composting and matte painting. That was such an unexpected bonus and benefit 2016 brought that frankly I can’t hate the year any more than I could hate any number.
So 2017? All I want do do is make sure I get to Anaheim WonderCon with some new projects. Cheers.
