Van Gogh was an art dealer, a missionary and a supply teacher before revolutionising the art world… an eventually cutting off his ear. Did his formative career hopping fuel his breakthrough? Or his breakdown.
We’ve gathered together a group of animators who are also professional bakers, stand-up comedians and shoe designers to find out if a second career could be a creative catalyst in an industry that loves to specialise (we’re looking at you sand animators).
As a Chinese babe in Northern Ireland Jen learned to draw by sketching the same boiled egg for a month because her dad told her ‘Leonardo Da Vinci did it’ – he didn’t. Now she’s found a career where that behaviour’s normal: animation. She’s hatched into a queer, BAFTA nominated, Sundance screened, associate creative director at BUCK. On the side she is an award-winning standup comedian, occasional drag performer and erotica zine publisher.
Chris Cray is an animator and animation director who’s work emphasizes bold designs, well crafted motion and quirky character performances. He directed and animated commercials, short films, apps, sitcoms and is the founder of animation studio Somesense. Next to an animator, Chris is a stand-up comedian with playful autobiographical routines about being nerdy, married and a redhead.
Sofia Negri keeps things moving, whether they are animated frames, skateboard wheels or loaves of bread. She is a freelance animator in London and part time baker. Alongside working for clients such as the BFI, Amnesty International and the Roundhouse, she writes and animates her own films between one bake and the other.
Jocie Juritz, originally an animator, now a shoe designer too, and always an obsessive hobbyist. The passion for crafting extends to just any medium Jocie can gets her hands on. During the first lockdown she took an online boot-making course. Years of sewing and illustration merged perfectly within this new medium and not long after the cat boots were born!