Matthew Sharack

Reflecting his obsession with the Victorian era and a love for architecture, this vibrant, imaginative piece is the work of artist Matthew Sharack. Born in Savannah, Georgia and raised on Long Island, as a kid Matthew was perpetually with pencil in hand and remembers being inspired by Looney Tunes and Disney. He attended New York University and found himself in the film school, Tisch School of the Arts, studying film, television and animation. His first job was working for Nickelodeon on Dora the Explorer painting backgrounds for the research department. After that Matthew packed his bags and headed to California in pursuit of animation work and found a job in the mail room at DreamWorks Animation. Still unsure of his direction, he found an artist there to mentor him and that’s when things took off. Working towards becoming a visual development artist while holding down a job in production, Matthew has been a Story Production Assistant on Shrek the Third, a Story/Script Coordinator on Monsters vs Aliens and currently an Art Coordinator on a film due to release in 2011. Having exhibited his art in group shows in the past, Matthew soon be will be part of a group show at GhettoGloss Gallery in Los Angeles this coming April.

For more of Matthew's art please visit his blog.

Colin Jack

The imaginative illustrator Colin Jack submits this delightful painting. Originally from Vancouver, Colin graduated from the Capliano Commercial Animation program at Capliano University in 2002. Two years ago he packed up his family and relocated to Toronto where he is currently working for Elliot Animation as Designer and Poser on Total Drama. As well an illustrator of children’s picture books, Colin's first, 1 Zany Zoo, will be released this coming summer and his second is in progress and due out in 2011 with a new publishing house. Towards the end of this year Colin plans to self publish his own art book (fingers crossed!) and when not drawing he loves spending time with his wife and 3 year old son.

For more of Colin's art please visit his blog.

Cory Godbey

This sweet and playful submission comes from South Carolina artist Cory Godbey. Cory has illustrated picture books and book covers for Oxford University Press, Random House, and Thomas Nelson to name a few, and has worked on several animated shorts and commercials with clients including Prudential Insurance, Microsoft Zune, and Xbox. He has contributed to the acclaimed Flight graphic novel anthologies with his first story Walters appearing in Flight 6, and in 2008, Cory was accepted in the Society of Illustrators 50th Annual of American Illustration.  In early 2009 Cory founded the popular Maurice Sendak tribute site Terrible Yellow Eyes where professional artists from all over the world contribute works inspired by Where the Wild Things Are.  Currently an illustrator, animator, and writer for Portland Studios, Cory seeks to tell stories with his work and likes drawing monsters.

To see more of Corey's art please visit his blog and to see more of his Marurice Sendak tribute please visit Terrible Yellow Eyes.

Grace S. Lee

This charming painting was inspired by a letter illustrator Grace Lee had folded up on her desk ready to give to a friend. Born in Taiwan and raised in Los Angeles, Grace had an inclination to fold paper in front of her since she was a child when she would retreat from boring adult dinner conversation to fold chopstick wrappers into whatever she saw in her mind. By night's end, she'd have a belly full of food and a menagerie of chopstick-wrapper animals and flowers. A Graduate of Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Grace works as a production designer at Crest Animation Studios, freelances as a children's book illustrator and has contributed her art to the Totoro Forest Project. Currently finishing her own children's book, Grace says she likes meeting people in her travels, baking cookies and still enjoys origami.

Please visit Grace's blog to and website view more of her art.

Sam Bradley

This sweet, hopeful painting is an offering by Canadian artist Sam Bradley. Though Sam was born in Brantford, Ontario and currently resides in Toronto, he says one day he "will live in New York and will eventually die at sea". A graduate of Sheridan College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Animation, Sam's work has included location design and background paintings for the music video Two Hours Traffic for Shark Teeth Films. Currently with Elliott Animation Sam is working as Supervising Location Designer on the Total Drama series which airs regularly on the Teletoon and Cartoon Network. With a talent for a wide range of art, from illustration to production design to fine art, and versatile in many mediums, Sam has recently exhibited his oil paintings and is a contributor to the soon to be released sequential art publication The Anthology Project. A big fan of anagrams, cityscapes, tootsiepops, and one peculiar mango, Sam spends his days making pictures and stories, and his nights dreaming of electric sheep.

Check out more from Sam at his website.

Wendy Park

This mysterious and subtle piece is by artist Wendy Park. Concept artist and matte painter, Wendy is a recent graduate of Otis College of Art and Design where she earned a BFA in Digital Media, during which she was a design intern at Blue Sky Studios. Since graduating Wendy has been a Background Artist for Three Legged Legs and a Visual Development Artist for both King and Country and Walt Disney Animation Studios. More recently Wendy has been found working in visual development for The Cartoon Network on an upcoming movie.

To see more of Wendy’s art please go to her website.

Thomas Yamaoka

This delightful piece entitled First Letter is a contribution from the young yet accomplished Thomas Yamaoka, concept artist and illustrator. Thomas earned his BFA in Digital Media from Otis College of Art and Design and has worked as a freelance illustrator and designer in Southern California for clients that include That Game Company, Blind, PSYOP LA, and Three Legged Legs. Thomas currently works as a background painter on Ben 10 for the Cartoon Network.

Check out more of Thomas Yamaoka’s artwork at his website.

Isaac Orloff

Freelance illustrator Isaac Orloff has designed a post office with personality in an homage to his school teacher who had a quirky postcard collection of cheesy motels with wacky colors. Raised in a family of illustrators, Isaac can be found working between the Baltimore Area and New York City where he recently finished a project with Digital Kitchen. Always looking for new projects, while looking to break into the motion picture industry, you will likely find Isaac sketchcrawling somewhere on the east coast of the United States.

To view more of his illustrations please visit his website.

Tom Cardone

This beautiful submission from Tom Cardone surely sets the bar! An Art Director for feature films, Tom started his animation career at Walt Disney Feature Animation in Burbank, CA in 1990. He supervised the Background Painting Department on “Hercules”, and eventually moved on to Co-Art Direct “Emperor’s New Groove”. His Disney film Credits also include classics such as: “The Rescuers Down Under”, “Beauty and the Beast”, “Aladdin”, “The Nightmare Before Christmas", “Pocahontas" and “Chicken Little”.

He returned to New York in 2002 to join Blue Sky Studios to make “Robots” and Art Direct “Ice Age The Meltdown” and “Dr. Suess’ Horton Hears A Who”. He currently is in production on “Rio” (Spring 2011).

A passionate plein air painter, he lives on Long Island in Roslyn and Amagansett, and can be spotted painting the east end landscape all year round- rain, snow or shine- with his tuna salad sandwich at the ready when he needs to refuel.

His paintings can be seen at the Arthur T. Kalaher Fine Art Gallery in Southampton, NY or on his blog.