Makeda Blair
Spanish Town, Jamaica
Advisor: Samantha Olschan
Artist Bio
Makeda Blair, a Digital Media & Design student at the University of Connecticut, Stamford, has an expansive love for illustration and animation. Growing up in an era of indie online animators, art, and storytelling has been a constant source of joy and inspiration for Blair and an avenue to understanding the world. That love has blossomed into a desire to bring her own ideas to life. Whether the idea is creating a face-tracking model or modding an indie game, Blair puts 100% of her energy into her projects. Each holding a shard of the whimsy and love for animation Blair has kindled since early childhood. Throughout her time as a DMD undergraduate Blair has created art and motion graphics inspired by fantasy, art deco, contemporary art, and the natural world; leaving her invigorated to take on new projects and push her art into intriguing directions.
Artist Statement
“The Cave” is a 2D animated music video that pays homage to conventional fairytales, indie folk music, and the online animation community. The music video follows the path of a hooded traveler through a dragon’s cave to meet it in a tense confrontation, offering a glimpse into the unsaid history between them. Using digital illustration and animation techniques I express the characters’ relationship from an outsider’s perspective. The idea was conceptualized upon my admission to the University of Connecticut, the admission prompt catalyzing the creation of the lyrics and crystalizing into the wider world shown in the music video. The presentation was inspired by the movies Wolf Walkers and The Secret of Kells and animated music videos such as The Willow Maid by Erutan and The Moss by SurohHorus as well as a multitude of other online animated projects.
