Congratulations to my artistic mentor and friend Aaron Blaise, recipient of the Winsor McCay Award at the 2025 Annies. Annies are presented by ASIFA-Hollywood for excellence in the field of animation.
In case you missed the February 8, 2025 broadcast, I’ve included a clip of producer Don Hahn’s introduction of Aaron, followed by Aaron’s acceptance speech.
Clip is property of ASIFA-Hollywood. Presenter Don Hahn is producer of Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and other animation and live action features and documentaries, and a writer and film director as well.
Who is Winsor McCay?
Winsor McCay, for whom the award is named, was an early animation pioneer best known for the 1914 animated film Gertie the Dinosaur.
McCay would appear live on stage and interact with the life-sized Gertie—tossing her fruit to eat, or scolding her for misbehaving. You can watch the film below, but McCay does not appear alongside Gertie in this version.
Animal paintings by Aaron Blaise
Besides animation, Aaron is a gifted animal/nature artist and watercolorist as well. Here are some of his paintings.
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