Simwig Studios
Co-Founder, Director, Animator, Actor, Puppeteer · 2020 to Present
Award Winning Film Studio specializing in narrative music videos and short films. Stop-motion, puppetry, live action, and beyond!
Projects include the award-winning films, "Killing Time," "She Was Crying Sugar," "Sheep Shed," "Top Secret Jazz," and "Sucky."
Out of Toon Studios
Co-Founder, Instructor, Animator · Established 2015
An animation studio dedicated to teaching the art of stop-motion animation and puppetry, while creating original content. Animated shorts. Music videos. Short Films. Online Classes. Art Camps.
Projects Include collaborations with Mark Kistler's Visual and Performing Fine Arts Camps, the Virtual Claymation Classroom, and the award-winning short film, "Reanimation of The Imagination."
Tommy & Jamie's Virtual Claymation Classroom
Instructor, Animator · 2013 to 2015
Through the magic of MarkKistlerLive.com, we broadcast weekly virtual lessons dedicated to the art of stop-motion animation. Students of all ages follow along step by step, learning everything they need to know to produce their very own claymation shorts. Our live lessons are recorded so they can be viewed at the students' own pace.
Cartoon Adventure Camp
Claymation Instructor · June 2013, August 2013
Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
The week long Art Camps hosted by Tim Decker (Simpsons / Disney Interactive Animator) offered Claymation, Puppetry, and Drawing Classes. I taught students animation and sculpting skills to help them create their own stop-motion animations. I also assisted with puppet construction, had a few scribble-off drawing competitions, and lectured on the history of Popeye the Sailorman.
YoungBlood Theatre
Instructor, Animator · 2013 to 2015
Through the magic of MarkKistlerLive.com, we broadcast weekly virtual lessons dedicated to the art of stop-motion animation. Students of all ages follow along step by step, learning everything they need to know to produce their very own claymation shorts. Our live lessons are recorded so they can be viewed at the students' own pace.
Cartoon Adventure Camp
Claymation Instructor · June 2013, August 2013
Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
The week long Art Camps hosted by Tim Decker (Simpsons / Disney Interactive Animator) offered Claymation, Puppetry, and Drawing Classes. I taught students animation and sculpting skills to help them create their own stop-motion animations. I also assisted with puppet construction, had a few scribble-off drawing competitions, and lectured on the history of Popeye the Sailorman.
YoungBlood Theatre
Illustrator, Animator · Oct 2012 to Dec 2012
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
I animated cartoons, illustrated title cards and character images, and designed the poster for YoungBlood Theatre's production of "CARTOON," a play by Steve Yockey. The animations and title cards were projected throughout the performance, incorporated into the scenery.
Performed live at the Milwaukee Fortress Nov 30 - Dec 15, 2012
Mark Kistler's Imagination Station
Instructor, Animator, Cartoonist · 2012 to Present
Houston, Texas · Albuquerque, New Mexico
During week long Summer Art Camps, I teach hundreds of students (ages 6-15) the art of puppetry, claymation, and drawing. Students gain confidence as they learn the skills to create anything they can dream up with their own hands. We also exercise our imaginations with scribble-off competitions along the way. Each camp ends with a live performing arts extravaganza.
Marquette University
Guest Animation Instructor · Oct 2011 to May 2012
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
I aided animation professor Tim Decker in teaching students of the community the art of Lego stop-motion animation. Marquette's Engineering Department offered our Lego class once in the Fall and once in the Spring.
Swanson Elementary School
Guest Animation Instructor · Oct 2011 to Mar 2012
Brookfield, Wisconsin
I taught a weekly 4th grade class how to animate using the art of stop-motion and traditional 2-D methods. The course was assisted by Rob Yeo, Dean of the Film School at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
John Michael Kohler Arts Center
Guest Artist, Animation Instructor · May 2010 to Jul 2010
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
I assisted in teaching students the basics of animation. While animating poems for the Poetry Foundation's Poetry Everywhere program, the students learned stop-motion, claymation, paper cut-out, and traditional 2D animation. The workshop was led by animation professor Tim Decker (Simpsons / Disney Interactive Animator).
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Animation Club
President · Spring 2010 to Spring 2011
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
During
the weekly Animation Club meetings, we would help fellow students with
stop-motion and traditional animation skills. We also held animation
screenings and art discussions.
Elm Dale Elementary School
Instructor · May 2003 to May 2011
Greenfield, Wisconsin
I taught students the art of drawing, cartooning, and character design during their annual Discovery Day.
