As much as we love the Netherlands, we had to look for our next location to live/ work.
Congratulations to Max for getting a full-time animation professor position at Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, Maryland, USA!
We will continue to work on independent films and commissioned work—-Tiny Inventions will keep going!

We’re excited for our new life, new city, new chapter in our lives.
Until the move, we’ll enjoy the Netherlands as much as possible.

“Something Left, Something Taken” Japanese subtitle version is released via Warner on Demand.
Sadly you cannot access to this website unless you’re in Japan.
*screenshot of the website by my parents.They were delighted to discover what “screenshot” means.
The process of getting the images included “woooow” “ohhhhhhh” “ahhhhhh”.

This also comes with a Japanese version of “making of”.

We are very happy to announce that Bollywood in Paris, France is representing us for French commercials. We met with the production last week and we are very lucky to have the opportunity to work with them.
-merci

We are in the June issue of Animation Magazine.
Flip to the last page, it follows our daily routine with pictures and writing.

The Netherlands arts budget will be reduced from €800m to €600m in 2013. It may not sound much but there are hundreds of organizations shutting down due to this decision. Music group, theaters, film festivals, the list goes on… and NIAF, the animation residency organization we belong to is one of them as well. If you are interested in this topic, you can read an article from the wired here.

There was a march / demonstration in early July that we participated in Da Haag. Artists, supporters of arts, many concern citizens joined for the demonstration.
This summer has been quite cold and rainy but this day, it was the sunniest ( and hottest for sure) day ever. The heat was rising and the tension was high.

In the first week of our stay, Paul Driessen and Maya Yonesho were in the office. We are having Igor Kovalyov giving workshop in August. In the past, Andreas Hykade, Konstantin Bronzit, Piet Kroon (Blue Sky) , Michael Dudok De Wit, Wendy Tilby / Amanda Forbis and so many other famous animators have given workshops at NIAF.
For animators, these are all HUGE names. There is a library filled with animation books & DVDs. There is equipment, resources, support and everything I could have ever imagined in this organization.
It’s sad that such a wonderful, unique, and encouraging organization like NIAF to discontinue its support for the animated films.
On a personal note, we are not sure if we will be able to finish our term of 2 years. Hopefully we can but even if our stay is shortened, I still consider ourselves lucky.

Some of us had to hide in the shade for a few minutes of rest… Despite of the reasons to be there, I quite enjoyed being surrounded by passionate artists & art lovers.

We are officially residents of Tilburg, the Netherlands! Hooraaaaaay!
It’s been a week since our arrival and we are slowly settling down. Lots of paperwork and lots of shopping but we cannot be happier. The city of Tilburg is charming and people are very generous. Since 90% of people speak English, it hasn’t been difficult at all.
I must say, the only dangerous thing is that some of the most delicious, cheapest things in the Netherlands are… ice cream, cheese, beer, ham and coffee! I need to moderate the amount of ice cream I have been eating otherwise, I will easily become double my size.

The staff members and participates of the residency program has been extremely welcoming that we already feel like it’s our home. We’ve also started working on the storyboard, concept art and script for our new short film.

We’re off to Annecy which our film is in short competition #2.
Hope to see some of our friends there.

Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Crisis Relief Benefit Art Exhibition!

Information about the event:
June 4th, 2011, Saturday 4-8 PM

Art Connect New York Gallery Space,
491 Broadway, 5th Floor
New York, New York 10012

646.546.5334

170 artists donated their work for this benefit art exhibition. Prices are from $40-$200.
Tiny Inventions donated a bento box made out of chirimen (traditional Japanese fabric) and felt.

Also check out the dear japan website to check out some of the art work that will be exhibited.

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On March 11, 2011, a 9.0M earthquake struck off the coast of North Eastern Japan, followed by the devastating tsunami and nuclear emergency. Beautiful landscapes including many national heritage sites, farmlands, and fishermen?s villages were swept away taking the lives of so many innocent people. It was one of the most powerful earthquakes in Japan?s history.
The official death toll had been raised to 12,600 while 14,700 people are still missing and these numbers are still increasing. More than 160,000 have been evacuated to shelters and more than 10,000 have left their homes due to the nuclear emergency. The whole nation is now living under the fear of continuous aftershocks and the ramifications of the nuclear crisis.
While witnessing this event and seeing a large part of our homeland destroyed while experiencing the suffering of our friends and families, we couldn?t sit idle watching the news. We wanted to do something. As artists we realized we can send messages by art to those people who are facing the toughest moment in their lives. We want to tell the Japanese people they are in our thoughts and we are one being. May we rebuild a more beautiful and stronger Japan together.
170 both renowned and emerging artists from New York and International countries have agreed to participate in the “dear Japan” project.
The Artists are directed to write a message to Japan on the back of their donated 2D or 3D art works.
The art works will be sold at the one night benefit party held at Art Connects New York (ACNY) in the SOHO gallery on June 4th, 2011. A website will be created after the exhibit which will post the messages from those artists directly to Japanese people.
All the proceeds from this benefit event will go to the Japan society “Japan Earthquake Relief Fund” and from the Japan society the money will be donated to four nonprofit organizations in Japan—the Tokyo Volunteer Network for Disaster Relief, JEN, Entrepreneurial Training for Innovative Communities (ETIC), and the Japan NPO Center—all on the front lines of relief and recovery in Tohoku.

Last summer, Kokoro Studio in San Francisco put together an exhibition, screening & workshop for Tiny Inventions. And now, they are putting together a fund raising for the horrible earthquake that happened in Japan. If you are in San Francisco area, please join Kokoro Studio and Gallery Heist on April 2 (sat).

You can also purchase a very cute t-shirt there.

If you aren’t in SF area, donating money to Japanese Red Cross will help, too.