VanArts News Article

Disney’s Bill Matthews Returns for Annual Visit

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VanArts is honored to have our annual guest here at the school this week, Mr. Bill Matthews. Every year since the school was founded, Bill has come for a week of lectures, presentations, consulting and guidance to students in our full-time and summer intensive animation programs. This year during his visit, he will also be celebrating his 80th birthday!

Bill Matthews is one of the founding instructors and directors of the Sheridan College Animation Program and is recently retired as Manager of Artist Development and ongoing consultant for Walt Disney Feature Animation. Bill worked on effects animation for Disney’s Sleeping Beauty and for NASA, and has been writing traditional animation curricula for public schools and colleges for over thirty years.

Yesterday we hosted our annual Q & A session led by senior animation instructor Charles Phillips, who interviewed Bill about his prolific life and career in the industry.

It’s always a privilege to have Bill Matthews walking our halls and giving his encouraging support to our animation students.  Check out this video we shot during his last year’s visit to hear what he says to say about VanArts and his involvement with us.