Barker Animation Art Gallery

On this day in 1950, the world was introduced to one of the most classic and endearing cartoon characters it would ever know - the "lovable loser" Charlie Brown!   Charles M. Schulz, who created the character, has described him as such: "[He] must be the one who suffers because he is a caricature of the average person. Most of us are much more acquainted with losing than winning." Much like the trademark zigzag on his shirt,  Charlie Brown fluctuates almost daily from optimistic to pessimistic,  from discouraged to hopeful, from self-conscious to self-assured.  Despite the fact that Charlie is constantly being fooled,  he refuses to let himself stay down for long -  which is probably why he has endured for nearly 70 years!

Today we honor the 83rd birthday of famed puppeteer and crafter of childhood dreams, Jim Henson.  Forever remembered for his youthful, endlessly imaginative energy, Henson is known for his trademark creations and for building elaborate fantastical worlds.  But what about some lesser known facts about him?  In tribute to Jim, here are 5 fun facts about the Muppet-creator: 1.  The Muppet Show premiered in 1976 and was actually produced in England.  It went on to be syndicated in over 100 countries across the world. 2.  Though known for the Muppets, Henson worked on a number of movies that used puppets (not his signature Muppets) including The Dark Crystal in 1981, Labyrinth in 1986, and The Witches in 1990. 3.  Henson even made some more experimental films in his career, including Time Piece in 1965, which went on to be nominated for an Academy Award. 4.  Henson has won 41 awards - including a Peabody Award in 1987 and a TCA Lifetime Achievement in 1990

ScreenRant credit Screen Rant Disney has announced a release slate for 2019 to 2022 that's packed with animated movies, so here's a guide to everything that's on the way. Following the recent acquisition of Fox, Disney is expected to continue dominating the bx office for the foreseeable future. With Avengers: Endgame still firmly at the top of the box office charts, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker still to come later on in 2019, it's almost easy to forget that Disney is still an animation studio. However, Disney definitely hasn't forgotten, with three animated movies on the way this year - including the highly-anticipated sequel Frozen 2. In fact, Disney has earmarked Thanksgiving weekend as its annual animated release date for the next 3 years, at least, though we still don't know exactly which movies will feature in that release slot beyond 2019. Read More Here

How to be a Disney Artist Rob Kaz Art  story by medium.com Find the art of Rob Kaz online  “How can I be a Disney artist?” Because this is the number one question I get asked most often, I decided to make the answer to the topic of my first Medium story. You love Disney. You have your entire life. You draw Mickey Mouse like a champ and everyone says you should work for Disney. You just need someone to tell you how. If you want to work for Disney in animation, then go to school, apply for jobs and eventually work your way into the role you want within the company. Though the answer is straightforward, the path is not without challenges and there is no guarantee you’ll land that dream job. Those folks who make the films … they’re masters of their craft. They’ve worked long, hard hours and are 100% deserving of the credit they receive. For that reason, I remain and watch the rolling credits at the end of a film in the theater. Try it sometime, read the names and

CHESHIRE — The Barker Character, Comic and Cartoon Museum takes you back to the days of Saturday morning cartoons, owning a Mickey Mouse rotary phone, carrying a plastic character lunch box and reading classic comics. “Sometimes four generations come in at once and they all come out so happy,” said Ursula Vinke, docent of the museum. “It’s a place where you forget all your troubles.” The museum, home to 80,000 character toys and collectibles, was created by Herbert and Gloria Barker, who accumulated the pieces starting in the 1960s. It is located at 1188 Highland Ave. (Route 10). Most of the museum consists of the Barkers’ personal collections, with a smaller portion donated. Dozens of Wizard of Oz figurines, toys, dolls and other items from the 1939 movie were recently given to the museum by the family of a late collector. “They want their legacy to be given to a good home and this is a good home,” Vinke said. Items in the museum range from the 1873 “Ramp Walkers” toys t

By Gloria and Herbert Barker Is the animation art industry ready to bring out the pig to stutter his final “Th-th-that’s All Folks!” as the pundits would have us believe? Having spent our lives with passionate confidence in the importance of the art of animation and its enduring quality, we would heartily disagree. As with any business, it has had its ups and downs while it deals with changing markets and an increasingly sophisticated audience. But those who bet on its demise will undoubtedly find themselves in the position of Wile E. Coyote as he tries, for the hundredth time, to snare the Road Runner in his Acme booby trap. No amount of dynamite is going to stop this bird.  Much of the current gloom is based on the fact that the animation art market has not returned to the stratospheric prices it was commanding at auctions in the 1980s. Animation art is so well respected now as a legitimate art form that many people are unaware that it was never seen in the major auction house