VanArts News Article

Bill Matthews Reference Library Opens for Students

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Knowledge is power, and a little creative inspiration can go a long way for art students.  We are pleased to announce the opening of the BILL MATTHEWS REFERENCE LIBRARY at VanArts. Our good friend and founding advisor Bill Matthews (retired Manager of Artists’ Development at Walt Disney Animation Studios) has kindly donated his personal collection of over 700 books to our campus.

The collection includes books on animation technique, life drawing, comics, illustration, photography, and the rich history of animation, film, Hollywood, archaeology, ancient civilizations, fine arts, and the world. The collection has been set up in its own dedicated space along with prints of animation drawings, cels,  and caricatures of Bill drawn for him as gifts from artists at Walt Disney Studios over the years. (It became a tradition for animated “cameos” of Bill to find their way into such films as Mulan, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Little Mermaid and Oliver and Company.)

Thanks Bill for your generous donation of these treasures to VanArts!