Sofia the First: My art with Disney Jr

The book they are showing is Silent Knight and will be airing, God willing, in the not to distant future.  The drawings and set ups are mine and I was followed up by a colorist for the characters and backgrounds.

In my career in animation, I've worn various hats: Writing, Directing,Character design, Animation, Storyboarding and even the occasional voice work. All of the positions I've held have been super fun-- and also highly visible to one degree or another.  However, my current job has found me in the back seat of animation... I do storybooks.  Which basically is an hidden step between the director and the Writer's idea to the scripts stage.  Its more than idea, but its less than a script.  The writer distills the story into 16 to 25 ish points and then asks for specific illustrations to demonstrate them.  Then the illustrations are printed and mounted on foam core where they are shown to an audience of pre schoolers to see if the story is tracking.  once the presentation is done, the drawings are peeled off the board, thrown away and the boards are recycled for the next round...

I sit in my little cubicle, behind my homemade curtain cranking out art that lasts shorter than a fly's lifespan.  I am thoroughly glad that I get to draw for a living... but even still I kind of confess that the temporality of it is a bit deflating. But I do find joy in the creation of art and sometimes just the pleasure of seeing the expression of character or even at times, the thin and thickness of a line.  

Well imagine my delight when the Sofia the First PR department focused their spotlight on the educational aspect of the show and they featured MY PART.  No... you don't see me, but I admit that I was more than encouraged that they acknowledged what I did actually seemed to have some purpose in the plan.  And I thanked God for the glimpse that though my job was behind behind the scenes, it still contributed to the end product.

Gee... I guess the bigger lesson in this whole thing I now see is the parallel to my life in God: that even in my existence, though I may feel that Im not serving a grand purpose at this time as I fulfill the seemingly menial and repetitive tasks of my daily life; as long as I am being faithful to do what He has given me to do to the best of my ability, even  though I may not get an attaboy from the world, I AM searving a purpose.  Even if what I am doing is temporal (and isn't everything in life really?)  The Audience who needs to see it is always there, always watching, and always having input.

so none of its ever wasted-- unless Im not doing whatever my hand finds to do to His glory.

¹³ "Now all has been heard;
here is the conclusion of the matter:
Fear God and keep his commandments,
for this is the duty of all mankind.
¹⁴ For God will bring every deed into judgment,
including every hidden thing,whether it is good or evil." Ecc 12:13-14