Q&A with Alan

A well-rounded artist, Alan is from the small town of Moorpark, Calif. (near-ish to LA) and studies Animation/Illustration at San Jose State University. One of his major talents is the ability to jump from the tangible world into the digital world with graceful ease.

What inspires you?
Oh man… so many things. Everything in life is pretty incredible, from the natural world to a set of German nesting cups, or a Japanese puzzle box. I doubt that my search for good design will ever end. There is so much to discover and that is the most inspiring part of it all.

Why did you pick a career in animation?
I couldn't ask for anything more than to wake up and go to work as an artist.

Thoughts about Portland?
Portland is a dream. It is a great balance of being in a city and out in the middle of nowhere. I love the rain and the flurry of life that comes with it.

Favorite treat?
Brownies.

What's your guilty pleasure?
My 130 gig collection of David Attenborough documentaries… I’m not too guilty about it... (Planet Earth II)

What’s your biggest failure so far?
Thinking this would be easy.

What is your most prized possession?
Even though my shelves are lined with trinkets and curiosities I have picked up along my way, I hold my memories and experiences closer than anything else.

When will you know that you're successful?
I’ll be successful when I figure out what I want from life. I don’t want to measure my success with metrics set by others.