For most of 2021 and into 2022 I art-directed a short(ish) 2D animated film called The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse. It was one of the most unique, challenging and rewarding experiences I've had as an artist—but the best part was getting to work with SUCH a kind and talented team, across timezones, in the middle of the pandemic. I'll never forget it and I'm proud of what we made together. Very grateful to Cara Speller for seeing how I fit the film, and to my wife for seeing how the film fit me (I was slow on both counts.)

This is a small selection of stills showcasing the world our Art Department brought to life for the film. I painted some of these backgrounds as did many others—every frame of the film was a big team effort. On Background Paint: Julien De Man, Yinfaowei Harrison, Suzie Kellett, Lia Mchedlishvili, Alexandria Neonakis, Łukasz Pazera, Romy Yao, Jenny Yu and myself. On Layout: Marco Castiello, Norbert Maier, Sergio Mancinelli, Lia Mchedlishvili, Neal Petty, and Hannes Stummvoll. Such an amazing team!

The film won an Academy Award, BAFTA, and several Annie awards, and is streaming now on AppleTV+ internationally and BBC iPlayer in the UK.