Totoro Forest Project is an international charity effort to preserve Sayama Forest, also known as Totoro Forest. This endangered sanctuary on the outskirts of Tokyo is where director Hayao Miyazaki got the inspiration for his much loved character “Totoro.” Over 200 top international artists from animation, illustration, and comics are donating artwork especially created for this cause. On september 6th 2008 Pixar Animation Studios will be hosting an art auction event featuring all these fantastic pieces of art. All the proceeds of this fundraiser will benefit the Totoro Forest Foundation. On top of the auction we are producing a wonderful art book of the auction pieces and we’ve also managed to secure an exhibition at the Cartoon Art Museum in San Francisco.What an honor!! Our pieces actually won't be on the site or any of the other promotional places, but I do hope our small part helps out the big picture. What a cool way to say "thank you!" to Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli for their wonderful films.
Of course I look back at my watercolor now and cringe! I am almost never inclined to do a "finished piece" like this one, save for a school assignment or something like that. So I probably thought about it too much and made it look stiff. But I imagined this being a snapshot of Satsuki and Mei's life after the movie has ended...little sister Mei never gets lost now, because she is always looked after by the forest spirit Totoro. And Satsuki will always know where to find her, since Mei always forgets her hat at the foot of Totoro's forest! Looking back now, I wish I had put in little semi-Totoro shapes in the clouds or tree. And I hope it looks something like a camphor tree, since I only had photo reference online. And if I only understood something about color! haha. Hopefully the frame will make it look "professional!" I had no way to take a picture of it with the frame on it, since it was shipped out just half an hour after I got to see it framed!
Also an interesting fact I learned while doing some research-- I found out the rope and paper flags are called shimenawa, and the string is tied around sacred trees that are said to belong to spirits. Again, hopefully it looks convincing, since I only had photos as reference!
Please go to the site, it is chock FULL of amazing artists and their interpretations of Totoros. Wish I could be there for the actual auction, but I'll be unpacking my suitcase at Chouinard hall by then! But Mom'll be there, to take plenty of pictures. You can see her Totoro creation on her blog.
My Mom's Blog
The Totoro Forest Project
O! I've seen so many of the pieces that people did for it so far. That's so exciting!
ReplyDeleteAnd I can always count on beautiful art on your blog!
Thanks Jenessa! It is pretty exciting!
ReplyDeletethanks for them i want be yours too ... booo oohhh , that's a great movment thanks to them too cause they need it and more , i ll be glad to be part of that project cause it represents exactly what we could do with abilities that we have , and you and your mother are really lucky to participate to such a great project . Us , animators , drawers , illustrators ,are the people hide behind them work but now i think with internet we could go further than just a draw we can transmitt a message and give something personal to world , and give at the same time what we're able to do for the others , that's the first rason that i draw since my childhood , and now as i can see there's lot of people who can bring the same things and feelings to everybody . that's nice to be part of a good project like that . call me if youu want some of mine for this , i will be honoured and glad to share that with you , make a tree for totoro ,forest , you and the others . nice to meet you again , keep up amelia , i knew that you ll be great . lol , i trust in you since the begining little amelia . see you and enjoy .
ReplyDeletesincerly Emmanuel Briand
http://tokyobanana.blogspot.com/
Thank you so much Emmanuel--I wish everyone could have participated in this project so we could all be that little kid inside again...Thanks again for the comment, its all one really needs to keep doing what they love to do!
ReplyDeleteHi Amelia,
ReplyDeleteFirst, congratulations in getting accepted to Cal Arts. After reading your blog, I am inspired with your determination in developing your craft. I am sure that you will hone in your skills in your education at CalArt.
I find it constraining in the approach of major museums and galleries focusing on the IMPORTANCE of the artist rather than the art itself. For this reason, I am looking forward to this auction as it is based on INSPIRATION.
Your piece is very lovely. Thank you for sharing the background of the piece. Very inspiring.
cK
Thanks so much Charles! Wish I could be there. Have fun!
ReplyDeleteCongrats Amelia! That's such an honor to be able to contribute - Your illustration looks great!!!
ReplyDeleteI love how the illustration seems to curve around the tree trunk!! Exciting project!
ReplyDelete