Women in Animation (WIA) is pleased to announce that Tracey LaGuerre is the winner of the 2016 Phyllis Craig Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded annually to one deserving animation student who demonstrates artistic talent, a passion for animation, and promise for the future.

Tracey is currently a sophomore in the CalArts Character Animation Program with a passion for storytelling and community service. She attended the most recent Gobelin’s Summer Animation Residency, and through her YouTube channel, she provides art education to a global audience. Tracey is heavily inspired by her Haitian heritage and Art history.

Her films have been featured in several festivals and she looks forward to using her ever-evolving skill set to make more films. “My passion as a filmmaker grows every time I create a film. The visual language created with animation shapes lives all around the world and connects to us to our humanity,” says Tracey. Her CalArts faculty mentor notes that her “ideas and intuitions are strong, and her desire to grow them is commendable. Tracey is not afraid of hard work and has a more mature attitude than many student artists.”

Phyllis Craig was a founding member of WIA, known throughout the animation industry for her commitment to young people interested in learning the art and techniques of animation. For many years, Craig spearheaded an internship program, and when she passed away in 1997, the founding members of WIA created a special scholarship fund to honor her legacy.

“Phyllis was an inspiration to so many, and helping support women like Tracey LaGuerre is exactly what her legacy strives to do,” says WIA Head of Scholarship Committee Barb Cimity. “I appreciate the opportunities Women in Animation is giving to young ambitious creators like myself, to influence the industry and increase diversity. I am honored to be the recipient of this year’s Phyllis Craig Scholarship and to represent the future of this organization,” says Tracey.

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Jerry Beck

Writer, cartoon producer and author of more than 15 books on animation history. A former studio exec with Nickelodeon and Disney; currently on the faculty at both CalArts in Valencia and Woodbury University in Burbank, California.

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