Animation has always been a passion of mine. When I was a kid, I spent countless hours creating stop-motion animated videos using my toys and clay. My parents had one of those big clunky VHS camcorders and I found a way by clicking on and off the record button using the red ‘recording’ light as a guide to use my toys and imagination to create epic narratives like “World Conquest 2” (1995) which despite on the surface being a story about an angry mad scientist trying to destroy the world, then changing his mind (after making some friends), was actually much more of a reflection about my own insecurity and self-rejection, alongside a deep desire to be loved and accepted by others. At the time I was beginning to realize I was different, that I was more ‘artistic’ than sporty, that I liked boys, which was horrifying to me growing up in a anti-gay, catholic and conservative environment. I’m grateful I had a tools like drawing, animation, and story-telling to help me deal with all the inner turmoil. I’m even more grateful that the world is more tolerant and loving towards queer people than ever before (YEAH Australia!) I still turn to art as a form of self-therapy. Creativity is my savior. Below is another animation I created from one of my paintings that is featured in the #Lacroix30ans collection. It’s an ode to the joy of imagination. #animationBK