ABOUT
Just the beginning...
Bio
Ben Anderson grew up in the town of Stonington, in southeastern Connecticut, and is currently a Senior Digital Media and Design student at the University of Connecticut, Storrs, studying with a concentration in 3D Animation. He has always had a passion for creating sculpture in a range of mediums; LEGO, metalworking, and digital space.
Growing up in a household fueled by creativity and artists pursuits, Anderson learned a long list of artistic skills from his father, a professional artist, learned how to apply them to the modern age of digital media and interactivity from his mother, and was embraced in the love of movies and stories from his older siblings. Anderson has worked as a historical interpreter and on practical demonstration and repair teams at organizations like the Mystic Seaport and the Watch Hill Carousel. More recently he has been involved in a collaborative effort between the University of Connecticut, EcoPeace, and Amberjack Films to help create an environmentalist short film on the importance of water resourcing. He is excited to work with new businesses and organizations in the future to contribute his skills in design and animation.
RESUMÉ:
Artist Statement
When I was a kid, I would often get upset as more of the world’s flaws were revealed to me, and I had a tendency to fall back on the phrase “I don't care.” My parent’s response was simple but effective and has carried through into the rest of my life; “You have to care.” I didn’t understand it at the time, but going to school and embracing my medium, has given me more time to reflect on that ideology and how I can say the same to others. As well as arts and film, nature traveling and seafaring activities have been a large influence on my life. After a few experiences put me more in tune with wanderlust; traveling across the country several times, visiting landmarks and state parks, hiking, sailing, etc, it’s now one of my goals to travel as much as I can while growing professionally. Armed with these virtues and the sentiments of seeing the humor in things and an awareness of others’ perspectives, my hope is that I can teach others to empathize with each other and the world around them.
This shows itself in my work which is often focused on concepts like memory, perspective, time, loss, and change. My newest project, “Evergreen”, is a short animated film that explores feelings of love and loss and the rebirth of that love in others. It utilizes underlying themes of environmentalism in its visuals of trees and storms as a metaphor for a feeling of continuance after a loved one is gone.
