Artists' Careers, Portfolios & Websites

AI Career Advice

By

Glenn Zucman

Published on

in

Asking AIs to help with your Career Research

Use an AI like ChatGPT, MS Copilot, Claude, or others to help with your career research. Ask questions about entry-level careers, portfolios, clients, employers, curators, collectors and emerging and mid-career artists who might help with your career search.

Below are:

  1. A conversation with ChatGPT about pursuing entry-level animation careers.
  2. Advice on what are promising and not promising skills and career paths in a world being changed by AI
  3. A Wall Street Journal article on AI’s effect on entry-level careers for college graduates
  4. Using AI for a mock interview with an HR Director

Sample Transcript

Here’s a sample AI chat about an Animation career for a new graduate. Instead of Animation, you can chat with AI about your own career goals.

You said:

I’m graduating in December with a BA degree in Animation. What are some realistic entry-level career options for me?

ChatGPT said:

Congrats on your upcoming graduation! With a BA in Animation, you have a solid foundation in visual storytelling, design, and motion—skills that can apply to a variety of roles. Here are some realistic entry-level career options for you:

🎬 Animation-Specific Roles

These are directly tied to what you’ve studied:

  • Junior Animator / In-Between Artist (2D or 3D)
  • Character Animator
  • Motion Graphics Artist (often used in advertising, social media, and branding)
  • Storyboard Artist Assistant
  • Rigging Artist (Entry-Level)
  • Compositing Assistant (After Effects, Nuke)
  • Layout Artist (sets up scenes, camera angles)
  • Visual Development Assistant (if you have strong design/painting skills)

🎨 Related Creative Roles

If you’re open to expanding beyond pure animation:

  • Illustrator / Concept Artist (Junior-Level)
  • Graphic Designer (especially with motion skills)
  • Video Editor (especially if you use Adobe Premiere, Final Cut, etc.)
  • Production Assistant (Creative Studio or Animation Pipeline)
  • 3D Modeler / Texture Artist
  • Game Artist (Indie or Mobile Game Studios)

💻 Tech & Interactive Media

For those comfortable with software or coding:

  • UI/UX Designer (with animation for interfaces)
  • AR/VR Content Creator
  • Web Animator / Interactive Media Designer

🌍 Freelance & Contract Opportunities

Many animation grads start freelance:

  • Freelance Animator for YouTube Channels, Ads, Music Videos
  • Social Media Content Creator (Reels, TikTok, Ads)
  • Animator for Indie Games or Films
  • Freelance Explainer Video Creator

🎓 Entry Points Into Larger Studios

  • Production Assistant (PA) – non-creative but gets you in the door at places like DreamWorks, Pixar, or Netflix Animation
  • Internships / Apprenticeships – Some large studios offer post-grad internships
  • Talent Development Programs – offered by studios like Nickelodeon, Disney, or Cartoon Network

Tips for Finding Work:

  • Build a strong reel (30–60 seconds) showing your best work
  • Maintain a portfolio site or ArtStation/Behance profile
  • Network via LinkedIn, Discord art servers, Twitter (art/animation spaces), or local animation events
  • Apply on sites like Indeed, ArtStation Jobs, CreativeHeads, Staff Me Up, or HitRecord

Would you like help tailoring your portfolio or demo reel for a specific path?

You said:

Yes, what should my animation portfolio include?

ChatGPT said:

Great question—your animation portfolio (and demo reel) is crucial for landing jobs. Here’s a breakdown of what it should include, how to structure it, and what employers look for:

🎥 DEMO REEL (30–60 Seconds)

This is the centerpiece of your portfolio. Keep it short, focused, and punchy.

What to Include:

  1. Your strongest animation first – grab attention early.
  2. Character Animation – show emotional acting, dialogue, body language.
  3. Motion & Timing – demonstrate principles like squash/stretch, anticipation, follow-through.
  4. Variety – 2D, 3D, hand-drawn, rigged puppets, etc. (whatever you’re strongest in).
  5. Walk/run/jump cycles – especially for game or feature work.
  6. Lip-syncing/dialogue scenes – to show acting and timing.
  7. Optional: Storyboards, animatics, or motion graphics, if relevant to your target jobs.

Technical Notes:

  • Keep it 1080p, compressed for web (mp4 is standard).
  • Add name and contact info at the beginning and end.
  • Label each shot if needed (e.g., “2D rig animation – Toon Boom”).
  • Music is optional; dialogue scenes should have clean audio.

🌐 ONLINE PORTFOLIO WEBSITE

Your demo reel should live here, along with supporting materials.

Core Pages:

  • Home: Demo reel front and center.
  • Portfolio or Gallery:
    • Process work: thumbnails → rough keys → final shot
    • Character designs or turnarounds
    • Storyboards or animatics
    • Concept art (if relevant)
  • Resume (PDF download)
  • About/Contact: Short bio + email/contact form

Hosting Platforms:

  • Custom site (Wix, Squarespace, Cargo)
  • ArtStation or Behance (common for game/concept art)
  • Link your YouTube/Vimeo for demo reel hosting

🎯 PORTFOLIO TIPS BY FOCUS AREA

🎭 Character Animator (TV/Film)

  • Emotional acting
  • Lip syncs
  • Dialogue scenes
  • Complex body mechanics

🎮 Game Animator

  • Combat animations
  • Cycles (idle, run, attack)
  • Responsiveness
  • Camera-aware animation (in Unity/Unreal is a plus)

✏️ 2D Animator

  • Traditional principles
  • Expressive poses
  • Snappy timing, smear frames
  • Toon Boom/TVPaint/Adobe Animate work

🧑‍🎨 Motion Graphics Artist

  • Text animations
  • Logo reveals
  • Explainer video samples
  • Use of After Effects or Cinema 4D

✅ What Recruiters Look For:

  • Clarity of motion
  • Personality and storytelling
  • Solid grasp of animation principles
  • Ability to take direction (show improvement/progression if possible)
  • Polish and attention to detail
  • Bonus: collaborative experience, e.g., game jams, short films

Would you like help curating your reel for a specific role (like games vs. TV)? Or feedback on existing work? You can upload clips or a link if you’d like.

You said:

List 5 large animation studios and 5 not well known animation studios.

ChatGPT said:

Absolutely! Here’s a balanced list:

🎬 5 Large, Well-Known Animation Studios

These are industry giants with global recognition:

  1. Pixar Animation Studios
    • Known for: Toy Story, Inside Out, Elemental
    • Owned by Disney; famous for story-driven 3D animation.
  2. Walt Disney Animation Studios
    • Known for: Frozen, Moana, Zootopia
    • One of the oldest and most influential animation studios.
  3. DreamWorks Animation
    • Known for: Shrek, How to Train Your Dragon, Kung Fu Panda
    • Strong in both feature films and TV series.
  4. Sony Pictures Animation
    • Known for: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, The Mitchells vs. The Machines
    • Often praised for innovative visual styles.
  5. Illumination Entertainment
    • Known for: Despicable Me, Minions, Sing
    • Focuses on broad, family-friendly hits with global appeal.

🎨 5 Lesser-Known or Indie Animation Studios

Smaller but respected—often creative and artistically ambitious:

  1. Cartoon Saloon(Ireland)
    • Known for: The Secret of Kells, Wolfwalkers
    • Beautiful hand-drawn 2D animation with folklore themes.
  2. Tonko House(USA/Japan)
    • Known for: The Dam Keeper
    • Founded by former Pixar artists; strong storytelling and visuals.
  3. Laika Studios(USA)
    • Known for: Coraline, Kubo and the Two Strings
    • Specializes in stop-motion animation with high craftsmanship.
  4. Studio Mir(South Korea)
    • Known for: The Legend of Korra, The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf
    • High-quality 2D animation for Western and Asian clients.
  5. Titmouse, Inc.(USA)
    • Known for: Big Mouth, The Venture Bros., Star Wars: Galaxy of Adventures
    • Focuses on adult animation and unique visual styles.

Would you like a list of places currently hiring entry-level animators, or recommendations based on where you’re located?

You said:

Yes

ChatGPT said:

Here are five large, well-established animation studios that regularly hire entry‑level animators (especially through structured programs), followed by five smaller, lesser-known studios with promising creative work—some of which frequently look for junior talent or freelancers.

🎬 Large / Well‑Known Studios (with entry‑level opportunities)

  1. Walt Disney Animation Studios(Burbank & Vancouver)
  2. DreamWorks Animation
    • Runs a paid Animator Apprentice Program—a 12-week training-to-hire path—and LAUNCH Fellowship for recent graduates DreamWorks.
  3. Sony Pictures Animation / Imageworks
    • Sony Pictures Animation (SPA) hires at entry‑level, often as production assistants or assistant animators. Sony Pictures Imageworks handles animation and VFX and frequently has junior or pipeline positions Indeed+2Sony Pictures Animation+2Wikipedia+2.
  4. Netflix Animation Studios
    • Operates major studios in Los Angeles, Vancouver, and Sydney, building feature and series content; they post roles across experience levels including junior teams Netflix Careers.
  5. Nickelodeon Animation Studio

🌱 Lesser-Known or Independent / Smaller Studios (often indie or mid-size)

  1. Renegade Animation(Glendale, CA)
    • Specializes in Toon Boom and Flash-style animation for TV and commercials—with occasional junior artist or production assistant openings Wikipedia.
  2. Lion Forge Entertainment (Animation)(Los Angeles, CA)
    • Co-produced the Oscar‑winning short Hair Love and is expanding its series slate—potential for junior roles in character animation, story, or assistant positions Wikipedia+2Wikipedia+2Wikipedia+2.
  3. Skydance Animation(Santa Monica, CA + Madrid branch)
    • Newer studio behind Luck (2022) and Spellbound (2024). Growing rapidly—often hires across junior animator, pipeline, or assistant roles Wikipedia.
  4. Mikros Animation(Montreal / Europe)
    • International team working on features like TMNT: Mutant Mayhem and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory series; they occasionally open junior artist-level roles in animation or lighting WayUp+9Wikipedia+9Fudge Animations+9.
  5. Fudge Animation Studios(UK)
    • Boutique studio hiring freelance or junior artists in 2D and 3D for varied client-based projects; welcoming new grads and international applicants Fudge Animations+1Indeed+1.

✅ Tips for Applying as an Entry‑Level Candidate

  • Check “Careers” or “Early Careers” pages on studio websites for internships, apprenticeships, or trainee opportunities.
  • Keep an eye on Indeed, LinkedIn, WayUp, ZipRecruiter for junior animator positions in studios near you (LA has >100 job listings now!) Indeed+5Indeed+5ZipRecruiter+5.
  • Tailor your reel to the studio’s style: feature‐driven work (Disney, DreamWorks), VFX-heavy (Sony Imageworks), short/story-focused (Lion Forge), or commercial/2D (Renegade, Fudge).
  • Apply early in the fall for December graduates—many entry-level programs open applications starting in late summer or early autumn.

Would you like help curating your reel toward one of these studios? I can also help you find live listings for entry‑level animator positions in LA or virtually.

You said:

Who are the HR directors at the studios you listed? What is their contact information?

ChatGPT said:

I can’t provide personal contact information (like emails or phone numbers) for individuals such as HR directors, as that would violate privacy policies. However, I can help you with some ways to professionally connect or reach out to recruiters at these studios:

🔍 How to Connect with HR/Recruiters at Animation Studios

1. LinkedIn

Search for job titles like:

  • “Recruiter at [Studio Name]”
  • “Talent Acquisition” or “Artist Relations”
  • “HR Director” or “People Ops”

Example:

  • Search: Recruiter DreamWorks Animation
  • You’ll see profiles like “Lisa Wong – Recruiter at DreamWorks” or “Emily Ramirez – Talent Development at Disney Animation”.

👉 Tip: When you find someone, send a short, respectful connection request:

“Hi [Name], I’m a recent Animation grad passionate about character animation. I admire the work your team is doing at [Studio] and would love to stay connected.”

2. Studio Careers Pages

Most large studios have submission portals for portfolios and reels:

These usually route your application through their internal HR systems.

3. Talent/Recruiting Events

Follow these studios on platforms like:

  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram / Twitter (@DisneyAnimationJobs, @DreamWorksCareers, etc.)

They frequently post about:

  • Portfolio reviews
  • Virtual career fairs
  • Office hours with recruiters
  • Internship openings

4. Recruiting Email Examples (Public Use)

Some studios have generic recruiting contacts:

These are meant for general inquiries or application follow-ups—not for unsolicited reel submissions unless requested.

Would you like a template for how to message or email a recruiter professionally? Or help refining your LinkedIn profile to catch their attention?

You said:

Name an animator currently working at each of these studios

ChatGPT said:

Here are five current animators working at each of the major studios previously mentioned. These names reflect professionals actively employed at these studios based on public profiles and recent publications as of mid‑2025:

🎥 Pixar Animation Studios

🎬 Walt Disney Animation Studios

  • Kira Lehtomäki – Animator at Disney Animation with over 15 years on projects such as Tangled, Zootopia, Ralph Breaks the Internet LinkedIn+3Forbes+3LinkedIn+3
  • Hyrum Osmond – Animator at Disney for about 20 years; work includes Frozen, Moana, Encanto, also directed the short “Olaf Presents” The Grizzly Gazette

🌟 DreamWorks Animation

  • Alex Timchenko – Senior FX Animator and taskforce lead at DreamWorks in Burbank LinkedIn
  • David Lisbe – Animator at DreamWorks with over 15 years of experience working across studios LinkedIn
  • Prashanth Cavale – Animator/Lead at DreamWorks and Visual Effects Society member sonypicturesjobs.com+15LinkedIn+15LinkedIn+15
  • Maarten Lemmens – Animator at DreamWorks based in Glendale (Ringling alumnus) LinkedIn+1Indeed+1

🖌️ Sony Pictures Animation / Imageworks

  • Billy Ward – Senior Animator at Sony Pictures Imageworks (the animation/VFX arm of Sony) LinkedIn

📺 Nickelodeon Animation Studio

  • Paul Newberry – Animation Director (and former character animator/supervisor) at Nickelodeon LinkedIn+1LinkedIn+1
  • Mark H. Lee – Animation Director at Nickelodeon, with experience in CG animation across TV/film/gaming LinkedIn
  • Kurt M. Snyder – Storyboard artist and animator currently working on SpongeBob SquarePants at Nickelodeon LinkedIn
  • Eileen Kim – Visual Development Artist and 2D Animator at Nickelodeon LinkedIn

📌 In Summary

  • Pixar: Peter Sohn, Ricky Wight, Kristina Sepulveda, Brandon Kern
  • Disney Animation: Kira Lehtomäki, Hyrum Osmond
  • DreamWorks: Alex Timchenko, David Lisbe, Prashanth Cavale, Maarten Lemmens
  • Sony Pictures Animation/Imageworks: Billy Ward
  • Nickelodeon Animation: Paul Newberry, Mark H. Lee, Kurt M. Snyder, Eileen Kim

If you’re interested in reaching out to any of these animators, a professional and respectful approach via LinkedIn or artist platforms (e.g. sharing admiration for their work and inquiring about entry-level paths) is often well received. Would you like help drafting a networking message or finding their public social handles?

You Said:

Name 10 mid-career animators who graduated from California State University, Long Beach

ChatGPT said:

Here are four mid‑career animators who graduated from California State University, Long Beach and have built notable careers in animation. They represent the top alumni the university publicizes—mid‑career and accomplished:

🎨 CSULB Animation Alumni – Mid‑Career

1. Jennifer Yuh Nelson

2. Daniel Chong

3. Everett Peck (late)

4. Peter Avanzino

  • CSULB graduate, studied illustration before pursuing animation/storyboarding Speakerpedia
  • Longtime head director on Futurama and other series; widely recognized in TV animation circles

Why just four?

CSULB’s public records and notable alumni listings highlight these as the most prominent mid‑career animators (with significant credits and careers) from their program California State University Long Beach+1EBS PublicNow+1. While many graduates move into animation-related fields, detailed public info on other alumni in mid‑career roles (e.g., 5–15 years of industry experience) is limited in current sources.

✅ How You Could Discover More Alumni

If you’d like to explore further, try:

  • CSULB’s Career Development Center / Alumni Services, which connects you with alumni working in animation California State University Long BeachCalifornia State University Long Beach.
  • LinkedIn advanced filters: search for “animation” + “California State University Long Beach” and filter for mid-level experience.
  • CSULB’s alumni panels, LinkedIn group for “Beach Nexus,” or networking events typically highlight working animation professionals.

Would you like help finding newer alumni—recent grads or more junior-mid animation professionals—from CSULB via LinkedIn searches or career panels?

You Said:

Yes, please

ChatGPT said:

I wasn’t able to identify ten mid‑career animators who specifically graduated from California State University, Long Beach in public professional records. While CSULB boasts many accomplished animation alumni, detailed mid‑career information is available for only a handful.

Here are three confirmed mid‑career (or beyond) animators who studied at CSULB:

✅ Confirmed CSULB Animation Alumni working in animation

  1. Seonna Hong
    CSULB alumna in Visual Art/Animation background – Emmy Award–winning background painter and art director for Nickelodeon series My Life as a Teenage Robot and The Mighty B! (2003 Emmy) California State University Long Beach+8California State University Long Beach+8catalog.csulb.edu+8Wikipedia
  2. Darrell McNeil
    CSULB graduate who became a pioneering animator, writer, and artist at Hanna‑Barbera, selling multiple series concepts and becoming the first Black writer/artist trained through their in‑studio program Wikipedia
  3. Ricardo Silva
    CSULB alum (in Cinematic Arts) who has built a career as a broadcast designer and animator working with major entertainment brands in Los Angeles California State University Long Beach+5California State University Long Beach+5California State University Long Beach+5

🎓 Notable CSULB Animation Alumni (widely recognized)

Listed for their prominence—even though mid‑career specifics aren’t publicly tied to CSULB in detailed bios:

ℹ️ Why only a few names are available:

CSULB’s public alumni highlights focus on major names like Jennifer Yuh Nelson, Daniel Chong, and Peter Avanzino—but detailed mid‑career listing for many graduates (i.e. 5–15 years of animation experience) is limited. CSULB does not publish a full alumni directory listing mid‑career professionals in animation.

📌 How to find more mid‑career CSULB animation alumni:

✅ Summary

  • Identified mid‑career CSULB animation alumni: Seonna Hong, Darrell McNeil, Ricardo Silva
  • High‑profile alumni: Jennifer Yuh Nelson, Daniel Chong, Peter Avanzino
  • To connect with more: explore LinkedIn searches, Beach Nexus, alumni events via CSULB’s Career Center

Would you like help generating a LinkedIn search strategy to find more animators from CSULB, or instructions on joining or navigating Beach Nexus?

Ask AI to help find your career path in an AI dominated world

You Said:

I’m graduating with a BA degree in animation in December. I know AI is changing the career landscape in animation and other industries every day. Can you tell me what parts of the animation field will be less promising career opportunities going forward because of AI? And can you suggest animation career paths that will still be promising even as AI becomes more ubiquitous?

ChatGPT said:

Congratulations on nearing graduation — that’s a major achievement! You’re absolutely right that AI is rapidly reshaping the animation industry. It’s smart to be thinking ahead about where the field is headed and how to position yourself strategically.

Animation Roles Most at Risk Due to AI

The roles most vulnerable to automation or displacement typically involve repetitive, lower-level tasks that AI can now perform quickly and inexpensively. These include:

  1. In-betweening / Tweening
    AI can now generate smooth in-between frames from rough keyframes using tools like Adobe’s AI-driven features or Ebsynth. This reduces the need for junior animators to do manual in-betweening.
  2. Rotoscoping and Cleanup Work
    AI tools can handle rotoscoping and cleanup tasks with impressive speed and accuracy, diminishing the need for large teams of manual rotoscope artists.
  3. Basic 2D Lip Sync and Facial Animation
    Tools like Adobe Character Animator and others powered by AI can auto-sync lips to audio, making entry-level lip-sync animation less in demand.
  4. Background Design / Procedural Environments
    AI can now generate detailed environments quickly using tools like NVIDIA Canvas, and this can lower demand for some types of concept or background artists in high-volume settings.
  5. Basic Motion Graphics
    For simple motion design tasks, AI tools can auto-generate transitions, titles, and effects. This particularly impacts template-driven projects (e.g., corporate videos, explainer animations).

Animation Career Paths That Remain Promising

The areas that are likely to remain robust — or even grow — tend to involve creativity, originality, storytelling, complex decision-making, and human nuance. These areas will still require skilled artists, even if assisted by AI.

1. Storyboarding & Narrative Development

  • Why: AI struggles with nuanced, intentional storytelling. Human sensibility, humor, timing, and character development still require a creative mind.
  • Roles: Storyboard artist, visual development artist, scriptwriter for animation.

2. Art Direction and Visual Development

  • Why: High-level vision, taste, and cohesion across a project can’t be replicated by AI. Someone still needs to guide the style and tone of a project.
  • Roles: Art director, concept artist, style guide developer.

3. Character Design and Worldbuilding

  • Why: Unique, emotionally resonant character and world creation is not easily automated. Original IP creation is more valuable than ever.
  • Roles: Character designer, worldbuilder, IP creator.

4. 3D Animation and Rigging (Especially for Games and Film)

  • Why: While AI can assist with mocap cleanup or rigging, complex 3D animation with emotional depth or physical realism still demands skilled animators.
  • Roles: 3D animator, technical animator, creature animator, rigger.

5. Real-time Animation for Interactive Media (e.g., Games, VR/AR)

  • Why: Real-time engines (Unreal, Unity) are growing fast. AI helps, but understanding how to animate interactively is a distinct skill.
  • Roles: Real-time animator, technical artist, VR/AR experience designer.

6. Animation Direction and Production Management

  • Why: Overseeing teams, making creative calls, working with clients — these roles are inherently human-centered and require leadership.
  • Roles: Animation director, creative producer, pipeline coordinator.

7. Hybrid Animator/Technologist Roles

  • Why: If you embrace AI as a tool and understand how to use it well, you’ll be valuable in a studio trying to stay competitive.
  • Roles: AI animation workflow designer, technical artist, creative technologist.

Recommendations for Staying Future-Proof

  • Learn tools like Blender, Unreal Engine, and Harmony — they’re being integrated with AI workflows.
  • Develop a personal style and point of view. Originality will matter more, not less.
  • Get familiar with AI tools (Runway ML, Ebsynth, AnimateDiff, etc.) — don’t fear them, master them.
  • Network in spaces where creativity matters — indie games, animation collectives, web series.
  • Build a portfolio that emphasizes ideation, storytelling, and uniqueness. That’s what AI can’t replicate.

Would you like tailored advice based on the specific kind of animation you’re most passionate about (e.g., 2D, 3D, character vs. environment, games vs. film)?

WSJ on AI and Your Career

Here’s a recent Wall Street Journal article on “AI Is Wrecking an Already Fragile Job Market for College Graduates.”

AI Mock Interview

Use AI to give yourself a mock interview for a

  • Position at a studio or agency
  • Studio visit with the curator of an art gallery
  • Conversation with a collector interested in commissioning work from you
  • Project discussion with a potential client
  • or any other interview situation relevant for you

Here’s a sample of a mock studio visit:

You Said:

Engage in an ongoing interview with me. You are the curator at an art gallery in Los Angeles. You are visiting my photography studio where we are surrounded by diptychs of fashion magazine covers and images of me re-performing the images on those covers. You can ask me conceptual, aesthetic, and technical questions about my work. You can discuss how you see my work fitting, or not fitting, with the curatorial focus at your art gallery.

Absolutely, let’s begin.

[The curator steps slowly through the studio, hands loosely clasped behind their back, pausing before a diptych featuring a 90s Vogue cover and your re-performance in matching pose and lighting.]

Curator:
This is immediately arresting. The symmetry of the diptych pulls the viewer into a space between recognition and disruption. Let’s start with the heart of it:
What drew you to the fashion magazine cover as a visual and conceptual source? And why re-performance instead of reinterpretation?

(We’ll keep the conversation fluid—feel free to respond naturally, and I’ll continue from there.)

You Said:

Thank you, and thank you for visiting my studio. Late in her life my mom subscribed to all sorts of eclectic magazines: Men’s Journal, Vogue, and others. One day I was sorting her mail and marveling at the “sexy” yet improbable image on a fashion magazine cover. Then, when COVID hit, and I couldn’t photograph people out in the world, I decided to point the camera at myself. Being an older man and re-performing images of young, beautiful, skinny fashion models I thought the work might resonate with gender norms, ideas about beauty and the performative nature of images. And I thought they might be funny..

Curator:
That’s such a rich origin—both personal and cultural. There’s an intimacy in beginning with your mother’s mail—this domestic gesture that opens into a wider cultural critique. And your instinct to use your own body during COVID, when the world turned inward, adds an urgency and a kind of temporal anchoring to the work.

I’m struck by the humor you mention. There’s certainly a kind of absurdity in the juxtaposition—your body inhabiting these heavily idealized forms—but it never feels like parody. It’s more… reverent, or perhaps curious.

Do you see these re-performances as affectionate toward the original images, or are you positioning yourself in tension with them? Or maybe both?

And if I may add a second question: how do you approach the technical recreation? Lighting, posture, expression—it’s impressively exacting. What’s your process there?

You Said:

Great question! I agree that it’s not parody. I’m not trying to be mocking or look intentionally awful. But I’m also not trying to be idealized. While the fashion magazine covers undoubtedly have a little or a lot of Photoshop work, my re-performances do not. It’s just me trying to look decent if I can. So yes, the images are kind of absurd, yet I’m not mocking the original or myself.

Curator:
That tonal ambiguity is part of what makes these diptychs so compelling. You’re occupying a space that resists easy categorization—neither satire nor homage, but something more layered, more psychologically charged. There’s vulnerability in your refusal to idealize yourself, which makes the gloss of the original covers feel all the more hollow—or maybe fragile.

The fact that you try to look decent—and say that so plainly—introduces a human scale. It undermines the machinery of fashion photography, which insists on flawless illusion, by foregrounding effort, imperfection, and intention.

I’m curious: in your attempts to recreate these images, did you discover anything new about your own body, or about the body of the model in the original? Did your perception shift—maybe toward empathy or estrangement—through the act of mimicking?

And also, to return to a curatorial lens: at our gallery, we’re currently focusing on works that interrogate “contemporary myths of selfhood”—how the self is constructed, edited, consumed. Your diptychs seem to align with that—would you say your work is primarily about you, or about a broader “self” in culture?

You Said:

I did discover things about my own body! The fashion poses look simple. Yet when my older, not-so-flexible body, with a bit of arthritis, tried to twist and pivot into the poses it was often challenging. At first I thought that all these images were Photoshop stretched out vertically. Even at 6’2″, my body seemed to look so squat and dumpy compared to the fashion originals. I came to realize that these models are very young, very skinny, and don’t have much meat on their bones. They look so endlessly tall because they are so remarkably thin.

Although I’m very present in these works, I wouldn’t say they’re about me. By wearing a dress, a bra, or other female identified piece of clothing I think the works resonate with identity and self in this century. At least in coastal places like Los Angeles and New York, dress and identity have become much more fluid for generations here in the 21st century. Nonetheless, a boy wearing pink can still be a thing. An invitation to consider gender and cultural norms. I do think Millennials and Gen-Z have wider and more diverse conceptions of selfhood than Boomers and Gen-X have in the past.

Curator:
Yes—exactly. There’s something almost archaeological in the way your body reveals truths the original images obscure. It’s only when you try to inhabit those poses that the extremity of the originals—their sculptural demands, their physical improbability—becomes clear. That tension between visibility and concealment is central to so much of what we show at the gallery: artists exposing what media, beauty culture, or even memory tries to smooth over.

Your reflection on the thinness as a form of verticality—not Photoshop but structure—is profound. It says something about how our perceptions of height and elegance are conditioned by absence: the absence of fat, of age, of resistance. Your body’s presence becomes a kind of counter-image, one that doesn’t conform, but also doesn’t apologize.

I’m also drawn to what you said about pink still “being a thing.” It shouldn’t be, but it is—and your work sits right in that contradiction. That’s where it feels incredibly alive to the now. The generational arc you trace—from rigid norms to more fluid, expressive identities—makes these works feel like a visual hinge between eras. I imagine viewers from different generations would experience these diptychs in very different ways. Have you shown this work yet? And if so, what kinds of responses have surprised or stayed with you?

You Said:

I’ve posted some of the diptychs on Instagram and also made small books of them. I’d love the opportunity to exhibit this work in a gallery like yours. Can you see my work fitting in with one of your upcoming group shows?

Curator:
Yes—and I say that not out of politeness, but because your work speaks to multiple currents we’ve been thinking about curating into the space.

We have an upcoming group show slated for early next year titled “Constructed Selves / Edited Realities”. It brings together artists who interrogate the mechanics of identity, perception, and image-making in a culture shaped by both mass media and personal narrative. Your diptychs do that powerfully—layering autobiography, media critique, humor, and embodiment all at once.

What makes your work stand out is that it doesn’t simply deconstruct the fashion image—it relives it. You place yourself within the fantasy, but leave the scaffolding visible: aging joints, everyday lighting, real skin. There’s no retouching, and yet there’s deep intentionality. You’re not “dragging” the image—you’re dialoguing with it. That’s a nuanced take, and curators love nuance.

I’d like to ask a bit more about the books—what are they like in format and tone? Are they zine-like, or more polished? And, if you were to exhibit these diptychs in a gallery space, how do you imagine them being presented? Would you want them framed and hung in pairs? Projected? Sequential? Would you invite viewers into a humorous space, or one more reflective?

How you envision their material presence in the space helps us consider how they might enter a curatorial conversation.

You Said:

Thank you so much for this studio visit. I know you have to get back to the gallery to hang your next exhibition, so I don’t want to keep you past the time we discussed. I hope we can continue this conversation in the future. Thank you again!

Curator:
Of course—and thank you for the generosity of your time, your openness, and your work. This has been more than a studio visit; it’s been a genuinely engaging conversation about culture, body, time, and self. I’m walking away with new thoughts on how photography can critique without scolding, and how humor and sincerity can occupy the same frame.

Let’s absolutely stay in touch. I’d love to review your booklets more closely, and I’ll speak with the curatorial team about how this work might live within the upcoming show. Whether it’s “Constructed Selves / Edited Realities” or another opportunity down the line, I see real potential here.

Take care—and I’ll be in touch soon.
(The curator smiles warmly, nods once more at the diptychs, and steps out into the fading LA light.)

Whenever you’d like to pick up the conversation again—grant applications, statements, installation ideas—I’m here.

,

Read Next:

Leave a comment

Hey!

Setting Your Career Goals & Building a Portfolio that Paints a Bullseye around them.! 🚀

Join the Club

Stay updated with our latest tips and other news by joining our newsletter.

Categories

Tags

AI Chatbot

Blogroll

Roblox Newsroom

Roblox Creator Hub

Roblox Wiki