Animation Guild | We are 839 Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1343869
SPRING 2021 11 D E PA R T M E N T THIS STORY ARTIST HAS DEVELOPED HIS OWN UNIQUE STYLE THAT'S EXPRESSED IN HIS WOODCARVING. When he's not working at Walt Disney Animation Studios on films such as Zootopia or the upcoming Encanto, or helping to take care of his four children, Jeremy Spears finds time to steal away into his Whittle Workshop where he creates objects out of wood. The Annie Award-winning story artist then has high- quality resin replicas made of his carvings, packaging and selling them to people around the world. "I've always loved the idea of carving in wood," Spears says, "and I'd done bits of it here and there." Then, ten years ago, he was up in Big Bear. "I was outside in the snow, bundled up and just whittling away on this little piece of basswood, and I was at peace and harmony with world. I created this bear that was finished," and unlike work he'd done before with clay, "it wasn't going to break or fall apart." Spears' side interest escalated beyond a hobby when he received his first commission. Early in his efforts with woodworking, he had displayed some of his smaller carvings in a micro gallery that he and two colleagues had created in a hallway cubby space. This led to him connecting with Brandon Kleyla at Walt Disney Imagineering, who hired him to WHITTLE WHILE YOU WORK this page: Whittle Bear "Frontier Edition" (following page, clockwise from left) Jeremy Spears sketching designs; Drinki Tiki Coasters; Whittle Hippos A F T E R H O U R S SPRING 2021 11 Photo by The Matthew Smith