The awards season is not yet over, Dana Lamb, Cal State Fullerton emeritus professor of art and coordinator of the College of the Arts’ Entertainment Art/Animation concentration, was honored with the Animation Educator of the Year Award from Variety Magazine, an entertainment trade magazine.
Lamb, former department chair, developed the College of the Arts entertainment/animation concentration at CSUF and helped establish relationships with animation companies throughout Southern California.
Lamb, a CSUF alumnus, first became interested in animation when he was growing up. He was constantly drawing cartoons and was an admirer of comic books.
Lamb took the only animation class that was offered at CSUF while he was an undergrad and discovered an appreciation for what an individual can do within the animation industry.
“I love the freedom and expression of animation,” Lamb said. “It just seems like you can do so much with animation than one single picture by itself.”
Lamb has worked independently for different advertising agencies, where he enjoyed creating art and cartooning.
Lamb was not expecting to receive any kind of award for his career in animation and was surprised after receiving an email from Variety.
“It’s a little overwhelming,” Lamb said. “I’m accepting it because I love the idea of (getting) an award but the bottom line is I’m accepting it on behalf of all the people that helped build the program.”
Lamb recognized former Dean Jerry Samuelson, Professor Don Lagerberg, Department Chair Larry Johnson, graduates building their careers and the countless directors, animators and background artists for helping contribute to this achievement, in a statement for Variety.
“Our program reflects the collaborative nature of animation in that the spectacular films you see on screen are a result of many, many people who all played a part in our success,” Lamb said in a statement to Variety. “No one individual in animation or education can succeed without the help and talents of the many.”
Many graduates from the entertainment/animations concentration have gone on to produce, animate and direct successful movies, such as the Academy Award winning Best Animated Films, Frozen and Big Hero 6, Lamb said.
Lamb received Variety’s “Animation Educator of the Year” award last Tuesday, at Siren Studios in Hollywood.