Santa Bear's High-Flying Adventure

As the 2025 comes to an end like most I have a tendency to reflect on the past. 

this year has been crazy, and I took a deep dive into my past "Santa Bear's High-Flying Adventure" is the very first animation project I worked on.   

Happy New Year!

Michael Sporn a Celebration

On January 19th 2014 I received of phone call "Michael past away this morning"
On March 31st 2014 We celebrated his life.

 A celebration of a man that I loved who was a great Artist, Director, and Friend.
It was a night filled with speakers, clips, and a chance to see two animated shorts "Doctor De Soto" and "The Hunting of the Snark".
His wife Heidi did a great job capturing this mans life.

Ray Kosarin spoke of the time working in the studio and that brought back some good memories. It was also great to see old friends/colleagues/family, big hugs all around. It had been a few years since I seen some of them; but it was just like yesterday side by side working together. 





I miss you Mr. Sporn R.I.P.

 

Merry Christmas!

Because of lack of time I was not able to create a Christmas illustration

so I thought the best thing was share a piece of art from a good friend Michael instead

and it moves!

 

 

 

so

Merry Christmas!!

 

 

5 days to go!

There are only 5 days to go

and I am very happy to see so many take the time to pledge,

I know more money has been raised then what is shown; like my self I just handed Micheall

 my pledge into his hand

(I did not want to create another account)

Sundays post "POE POURRI"

Artwork taken from "Micheal Sporn's Splog"

Yes once again I am posting on my blog about

the POE project

on Sunday Michael Sporn wrote about Edgar Allan Poe

Relationships also shared some artwork from the animated feature he is looking to get started

if you enjoy Poe you will enjoy his post

"Poe Pourri"  

To view or pledge you can visit: Indiegogo Poe Project

Michael creates wonderful animated films, they are timeless some of the projects I worked on are still being shown on HBO (I’m not saying how long ago that was)

Illustration Friday "SWAMP"

"SWAMP"

At the

 Spirogyra Literary/Illustration Agency

Mr. Green Swamp

was overwhelmed by his slush pile.

 ________________________________________________________________

"POE" Project by Michael Sporn

A Link to pledge



Michael Sporn Animation

If anyone can help out it would be great!

I never do anything like this. But you know it will be a great movie  

Frog’s Then & Now

As I still wait for my copies of “Ferdinand Frog’s Flight”

it has given me time to reflect on how far I have evolved as an artist.

 I had to dust off a very old portfolio for this first frog/toad it was done back in the 80’s; it also shows off my sense of humor the title is “Toad Stool” pen and ink with water color and color pencil

Toad Stool

The next one is a frog I never drew I just colored it, the title is "The Dancing Frog” it was an animation project done back in the day at Michael Sporn Animation Studio.  see (Clip)

.

The Dancing Frog

The third I must of done around 2004/05? Not sure also pen and ink with water color (Tree frog) this one was once part of a stock art company I did a little work for.

Tree Frog

 

The fourth “Who Let the Frogs Out?” illustration done in 2007? for Stories for Children Magazine.

Who Let The Frogs Out?

 Also from Stories for Children Magazine "The Surfing Frog" 2009/10?

The Surfing Frog

The sixth is from “The Giving Meadow” picture book I illustrated for 4RV Publishing in 2010

The Giving Meadow

And of course Ferdinand himself who wants to fly

 if the picture book looks anything likes the PDF I have seen it should be stunning to look at.

Ferdinand Frog's Flight

Lyle,Lyle Crocodile 1987

HBO HQ NYC 2010

In my last post I wrote about doing a search on my self and one of the links I found was the IMDb (International Movie Data Base) it listed animated movie project that I worked on. It is not a full list some of the projects I worked on are not there. Back in July of 2009 I wrote about how I was hired to work on "Santa Bear High Flying Adventures" (only found in VHS format) I think I also mentioned about another project going on at the same time (I may have a film credit in this one) called, "Lyle, Lyle Crocodile: The Musical: The House on East 88th street" (only found in VHS format)

Well the other day as I past by one of my favorite book stores called Books Of Wonder I saw in the display window Lyle, Lyle the Crocodile it of course brought back some found memories for me one was of the cast party for Lyle, Lyle the Crocodile hosted by HBO this is also were I meet Bernard Waber who is the author & illustrator of the Lyle series (he signed my copy of East 88th Street that was given out to us).

You don't always appreciate what you have till it is gone. That moment I was on top of the world,

Me @ HBO party meeting Lyle 1987 I am in HBO hanging out with Bernard Waber at a party eating food, drinking.... having a few laughs. I worked with and meet some wonderful people during that time in my life and I am thankful for those memories I wish I had the capability to express it better than I am doing right now.

Michael Sporn Studio 1987

It is the summer of 1987, sitting on train heading to NYC with my portfolio.

I'm going on an job interview The position: runner or intern with Michael Sporn Animation Inc I am suppose to meet Robert Marianetti assistant director (I believe was his title) I walk into a room lined with tables with disk cut into them and light shining threw a framed clear glass plate, on the walls are drawings upon drawings of a cute little white bear no personal items really around I found that a bit odd. My first thought was is this how animation studio look like? not what I expected. But I liked Robert right away. Later he said why he hired me was(not a direct quote)becouse He found it interesting that I look like a biker but draw faeries. what I found out during the interview was this office space was just an annex the real studio was down the street. There were two projects going on Santabear's High Flying Adventure and Lyle,Lyle Crocodile not enough room at the studio to work on both films.

My job took me into many different places in Manhattan the routine was simple I would start by taking the Finished drawings from the studio (annex) to a company called Chelsea Animation to be inked & paint, then take the finished painted cells and bring it to F-Stop Studios to be shot, Grab the finished shot artwork back to the studio(annex). I would also go to the lab were the film would be developed and bring it to the Real Micheal Sporn Studio; Now the first time I walked into that studio I went Wow! This is an ANIMATION STUDIO!

Art work on the walls not just the project being worked on, but cells from different past projects, people working on the left or right side of the room an attractive women working on backgrounds on one side of the studio, and sitting at a large black animation desk was Michael him self. it is always a little scary meeting your boss for the first time I think it took awhile for us to warm up to each other I'm the quite type even now I don't say very much. I can remember when I felt the ice was broken The office manager said something odd to me when I was dropping of the dailies, I gave Micheal a "what?" type of look turned to her and said "hm mm yeah" Michael broke out laughing.

SantaBear was cumming to a end Lyle as well I was not sure if I would have a job after the projects was over, Robert one day pulled me aside I thought this would be it the axe! But no I was told that Michael wanted me to work on the next project Abel's Island of course I said yes. Over the years I can't say I know how many project we worked on together my title changed depending on the project we were working on. I was constantly learning, School of Visual Arts was a good foundation Micheal Sporn Studio Was my finishing school. I learned allot. One of the things people say about me now is how fast I work well that was part of my on the job training Meeting deadlines with an artistic flare

Michael and I still talk from time to time I enjoy visiting the studio and I still look at the cells on the wall and say wow except now some of the cell on the wall are the same projects that I worked on.