Anne Beal is an award-winning animation filmmaker and multimedia artist whose work merges experimental animation, painting, and sound. Informed by her musical training, she embraces the intuitive elements of cinematic language.
In her art practice, Anne allows room for discovery in the act of making. She roots her animation work in imperfect and unruly mediums, like watercolor and acrylic inks, whose flow cannot be entirely controlled. In both personal and commissioned work, Anne investigates Play, female empowerment, and mental health.
Sound is an essential part of Anne’s filmmaking process. When working on commission, she prefers to work closely with audio engineers or composers, when possible. In her own work, she works in Pro Tools, collaging her soundscapes from archival recordings and original compositions made from her collection of stringed instruments and analog recording devices.
Anne earned her BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), where she pursued animation, directing, and sound design. She has been been awarded artist residencies at MacDowell, Yaddo, and the Hambidge Center for the Arts and Sciences in support of her current multimedia production. Her work has screened at Ottawa, Annecy, London, Chicago International Film Festival, and many more.
Anne taught animation in the Film/Video/New Media/Animation Department at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) from 2014-2017 and has since lectured at RISD, Parsons, Pratt, MassArt, Brooklyn College, and SVA. She lives and works in NYC where, in addition to making commissioned work and teaching, she collaborates with her husband on the GRAMMY-nominated jazz orchestra and animation project, Tonal Conversations.
Anne Beal presenting at Girls Write Now, an organization that provides writing and storytelling workshops for underserved high-school girls+femmes in NYC // 2.2020
Anne Beal poses beside her piece, Wall Flowers, dozens of 4.5”x6” watercolor paintings that make up an animation Anne created in 2018.