Articles & Texticles

On the outskirts of Tokyo, there’s a forest that’s very dear to the heart of Hasao Miyasaki, who claims that it was this very place that inspired him to write and produce the most enduring animated feature film, My Neighbour Totoro.

The forest is being encroached upon by urban development, and so the Totoro Forest Project has been set up to oppose the spread of building into the forest area.

It must be one of the first ecological fundraising efforts ever to be inspired and co-ordinated by an animated cartoon character.

There will be an auction of donated works at Pixar’s Animation Studios in Emeryville, California on September the sixth, 2008.

Craig Elliot’s The Source of Protection

There are many animation concept artists getting involved in the project.

Erik Tiemens‘ Unknown Path.

Huy Nguyen - Morning Sound

John Lee - Untitled.

Robert McKenzie - Union Square.

Wayne Lo - She Spies A Pool Party.

And a friend and colleague who’s linked in the sidebar: Luc Desmarchelier

Luc Desmarchelier - The Resting Place.

UPDATE: Have a look at Neil Ross’s ¹ contribution to the project here.

There’s an amazing collection of talent to see in the gallery section of the Totoro Forest Project site. There will be two separate exhibitions of selected works in the San Francisco Cartoon Art Museum in September and November.
See site for details.

1. Apologies to all the other colleagues, mates and co-workers that I’ve missed out here [↩]