Evan Curtis, an award-winning independent stop-motion animator and filmmaker, will be the new Mesa County Libraries 970West Artist in Residence beginning Aug. 24, 2020.
Curtis will offer weekly Meet and Greets from 4-6 p.m. Thursdays beginning Aug. 27 at the Mesa County Libraries 970West Studio, 502 Ouray Ave. across from the Central Library. The public can drop in and visit with him during those sessions. Please wear a mask and practice social distancing.
In addition, Curtis will offer two programs to in-person audiences (reservations are required). Those programs also will be recorded and posted online later so they can be viewed by patrons who cannot attend in person. He also will offer a live virtual presentation.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Curtis, a two-year resident of Grand Junction, comes from the Adirondack Mountains of New York. His animation and film work has been screened at SXSW, on PBS, and in more than 50 festivals worldwide, including in Canada, Brazil, London, Ireland, Greece, and Romania. His films can be viewed at OreMagiFilms.com.
He received a bachelor’s degree in film from the Conservatory of Theatre Arts and Film at Purchase College and master’s degree in animation from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). While studying film in New York, Curtis interned at Blue Sky Studios on “Horton Hears a Who!” and “Ice Age 3.” At SCAD he interned at Adult Swim on “Squidbillies” and “Aqua Teen Hunger Force.”
Before teaching, Curtis worked as a trail crew leader for the Montana Conservation Corps and the Adirondack Mountain Club, where he taught at-risk youth environmental stewardship, leadership, and trail-building skills. During that time, he lived in the wilderness and built trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and OHVs.
From 2013-2019, Curtis taught animation and film in New Mexico and Utah. He recently moved to Grand Junction to join the Art & Design Department at Colorado Mesa University, where he continues to teach animation and film.
When not teaching or making films, Curtis can be found exploring the wilderness with his wife and adopted dog.
ARTISTIC INFLUENCES
Growing up in the Adirondack Mountains provided many defining adventures that have shaped a prevalent theme throughout his work involving the idea of home and how it relates to defining our place in an ever-changing landscape. His characters are explorers, traversing imagined worlds in search of themselves.
He has a modest toy collection containing relics of his childhood, as well as new designer toys, that often make appearances in his work. Major influences are “Jurassic Park,” the original “Planet of the Apes,” artist Ray Harryhausen’s stop-motion creatures, and “Calvin & Hobbes.”
PROGRAMS
MEET AND GREET
The public may visit Curtis in the 970West Studio, 502 Ouray Ave., from 4-6 p.m. Thursdays from Aug. 27-Nov. 19. Reservations are not required, but please wear a mask and practice social distancing.
WORKSHOP: STOP-MOTION ANIMATION – BRINGING OBJECTS TO LIFE
- 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10, at the Central Library, 443 N. 6th St., Grand Junction
Learn about the basics of stop-motion animation using Legos, action figures, clay, or paper.
Participants are encouraged to bring objects they would like to animate (Legos, clay, paper, toys, etc.). This one-hour program is intended to show the basic techniques for participants to use on their own. It is open to interested people ages 7 and older.
Registration is required via the online Event Calendar or by calling 970-243-4442. Space is limited, and participants are required to wear masks and practice social distancing.
The virtual presentation of this program will be available Oct. 14, 2020, on Mesa County Libraries’ YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram TV pages.
WORKSHOP: SOUND DESIGN AND FOLEY EFFECTS
- 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16, at the Central Library, 443 N. 6th St., Grand Junction
What the heck are foley effects? They are the sound effects you hear in movies and film! Learn about the basics of sound editing and foley effects in this one-hour workshop. It is open to interested people ages 7 and older.
Registration is required via the online Event Calendar or by calling 970-243-4442. Space is limited, and participants are required to wear masks and practice social distancing.
The virtual presentation of this program will be available Nov. 18, 2020, on Mesa County Libraries’ YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram TV pages.
VIRTUAL PRESENTATION: VINTAGE TOYS
- 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7, online via Zoom
Enjoy a virtual tour of Curtis’s toy collection that influences his work, then join us via Zoom to discuss the history and importance of toys in an artist’s life. For more details about the virtual event and to attend, please register via the online Events Calendar. Registration is required to ensure attendance at the Zoom event. Ages 7+ welcome.
ABOUT THE MESA COUNTY LIBRARIES 970WEST ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
The Mesa County Libraries 970West Artist in Residence program aims to support the endeavors of local artists who connect and engage the community with a variety of arts. Selected artists receive a $500 stipend courtesy of the Mesa County Libraries Foundation. Artists are provided with studio space in the 970West Studio to hone and focus their creative talents while sharing their expertise and skills with the community through scheduled presentations and workshops at the library. Artists are encouraged to use their 14-week residency as an opportunity for growth and development while engaging with the community.