Carnival in the New World…

Brazilian native and animation extraordinaire Ms. Karin Gunn delivered an exceptional group of animators to PI this week as the collaboration made its way to the gator state. West Port High School, home of the wolf pack hosts the Marion County Center for the Arts (MCCA), a magnet program offering classes in Digital Media, Animation, Photography (which includes photo manipulation), Technical theatre/stagecraft, Dance, Musical Theatre, Drawing and Painting, 3D sculpture, and Band. By no surprise, the MCCA was recently designated as a Florida Department of Education Arts Achieve! Model School.

Its clear why the MCCA is worthy of such an award, as was evident by the high quality of work and teaching that was abundant during PI’s brief residency in Ocala. These students and their faculty are focused and they know how to deliver. Some of the most sincere videos for PI came directly from Ms. Gunn’s class of motivated, thoughtful animators who effectively know how to express themselves through the duration of time. This visual team at MCCA is well-rounded as Ms. Gunn’s extended abilities couple both animation and photography, the dynamic 3-dimensional doings of Ms. Brauhn and Mrs. Lovill’s mastery of teaching, was evident throughout the students work.

Ocala is a derivation of the Timucua word “Ocali” which is believed to mean the “Kingdom of the Sun.” Regardless of the lack of heat from the sun during Professor Barany’s visit, the warmth of several new friendships and connections that blossomed during the Ocala residency will soon not be forgotten. Thank you especially to Ms. Gunn and Ms. Brauhn for their hospitality and professionalism, and also to the phenomenal animators from West Port High! Keep drawing those bubbles!

From deep within the wolf pack,

James Barany
Associate Professor of Foundations
MIAD
jbarany@miad.edu