At VanArts we love hearing stories and getting e-mails from our graduates to see what projects they are working on as their careers unfold. Here are a few examples of what our Digital Photography grads have been up to lately...

Our own Program Assistant Belle Ancell has been recently hired as a freelancer for Canada's Gay & Lesbian newspaper Xtra West, and just had her first cover photo published for a featured article on Vancouver's Little Sister's bookstore.  Her blog states that she feels "like a giggly school girl" at this great opportunity. 

Check out more of Belle's work at belleancellphotography.com

Taylor McBride, our youngest graduate to date at 18, has been hired as a retoucher for event photography by The Collective You, and also as an intern with Steve Kirby at The Image Lab. Taylor has had the opportunity to work on massive campaigns for clients including Miller Beer, Esso Gas and Nike, and to work alongside other artists like Phillip Jarmain. 

In Taylor's words, "I would not be where I am today without going to study at VanArts. Thank you for all your support over the year!" 

Chena San Martin, one of our graduates from Mexico City, has her photography featured in a new book which just launched here in Vancouver, Love & Cooking: The Erotic Cookbook by writer Tanille Geib. On working with Chena, Geib says on her website, "One can easily be caught up in the excitement that builds once she's developed an image in her mind's eye. This creative energy helps bring out the best in her models who forget themselves and come to share in that moment - a joint venture on either side of the lens."

Of all this inspiring creativity exhibited by our VanArts staff & graduates, Chena herself sums things up perfectly when she says, "The world is full of pictures that I can't stop taking." 

The Story & Animation Masterclass, a special event taught by instructors from Pixar and hosted by VanArts all across North America for the past 5 years, has finally gone global by having toured "down under" in Australia and New Zealand. Sold-out crowds of students, professionals and film enthusiasts packed venues in three cities this month to hear Pixar's head story artist Matthew Luhn and directing animator Andrew Gordon teach about their craft. 

On April 5th & 6th, the masterclass was held at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia, where VanArts has a degree pathway partnership for graduates in all of our programs. The following week on April 12th & 13th, another masterclass was held at the National Maritime Museum in Sydney, Australia.

This was followed by another class at Media Design School in Auckland, New Zealand on April 16th & 17th. VanArts also has a degree pathway partnership with Media Design School, where graduates from our 3D Character Animation, Game Art & Design, and Visual Effects diploma programs can apply to pursue Bachelors' degrees after graduation.  

For everyone who participated in these events, it was a great experience to see these schools and venues first-hand, see the beautiful landscapes of Australia and New Zealand, and develop strong relationships with the people there. Thanks to everyone who made this tour possible!  

Click here for more information on the Degree Pathways available for VanArts graduates >>

Click here for information on our next two Masterclasses in New York and San Diego >>

Recent 2D Character Animation graduates Allessandro Adamo, from Italy, and Esther Park, from New Brunswick, have just started working at a new studio in Sherbrooke, Quebec called Kaffeine Animation. They are working together on Season 2 of the show Walter and Tandoori, using Toon Boom Harmony, the software they learned at VanArts.   

Says Esther of her experience at VanArts, "I first came to VanArts for the 2007 1-month summer intensive, and later returned for the full-time diploma program. I made lots of friends, learned a lot about animation from awesome teachers, improved my knowledge of this art form and industry. It was a great experience and I have no regrets!"

Says Allessandro of his experience at VanArts, "As Vancouver is one of the best cities for quality of life, I searched for a school that deeply focused on character animation and found VanArts. I chose them not only because they focus on animation, but also the background experience of the instructors.  They had worked on cartoons I watched from my childhood, so it was like a full circle!  My experience there was AMAZING...no matter what level we were at, we were pushed to give our best, learn the rules before breaking them, and to be artistically creative. The best part is that now my teachers have become my friends, who help me when I need it."

Congratulations to you both on your new animation careers! 

VanArts is proud of our Game Art & Design graduate Samuel Blondahl, who has written and published his first science-fiction novel, Mercury: The Anahita Chronicles (Volume 1).

According to the book's description: "Sabotage and mutiny strand the Mercury and all hands deep in uncharted space. The ship damaged, and the crew subject to the horrible stress of knowing they may never see Earth again, they accidentally stumble across something amazing that will shake our understanding of the universe, and our place in it. a story of human determination, achievement, and curiosity, set against all too human hatred, madness, and fear."

After graduation from VanArts, Samuel began working as a photo retoucher and also as a book cover illustrator for Freedom of Speech Publishing. Before too long, he found himself writing his own story and getting it published, also creating his own cover in Maya and Photoshop, all skills he learned here at VanArts. His fellow staff and classmates are given special thanks on his book's dedication page, and he still creates digital art and 3D models. 

Samuel Blondahl will be a featured guest, with books available, at Fan Expo Vancouver this April, where VanArts will also be present as an exhibitor along with more of our graduates.  Hope to see you there!