Animation artist statement
Rewritten Artist Statement: "A Letter to My Sister"
"A Letter to My Sister" is a personal animated exploration of my experience at a unique boarding school. In 2018, as a freshman, I found myself in an off-the-grid environment focused on physical activity and disconnection. Without internet, phones, or email, letters became my only lifeline to loved ones.
Writing about our weekly hikes, challenges, and routines proved difficult. Capturing the essence of these experiences in words felt inadequate. So, at the bottom of each letter, I began incorporating small drawings – a visual bridge to understanding.
By the end of the year, it became clear that the letters alone didn't fully convey my experiences. It wasn't until I showed a compilation video (included in the animation) that my family and friends truly grasped the environment. But even then, I felt the drawings held an untapped potential.
This animation aims to bridge that gap. The original illustrations come alive, layered over and alongside the video footage. Using Procreate and Adobe software, I breathe life into the scenes and activities I tried so hard to describe – transforming them from static drawings into a dynamic narrative.
"A Letter to My Sister" is a testament to the power of visual communication, a testament to the stories hidden within hand-drawn lines, and a tribute to the transformative experience of a year spent disconnected.
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