Joanna Priestley

Explores the mythopoeic realm through mandalas and dream images that hint at hidden trauma.

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A dense multiverse of images and shifting focal points that explore the tension between two dimensional patterns both familiar and alien. Conventional icons are deconstructed, creating shapes that spark a sense of connection and shared history, while scenes transmogrify from rhythmic explosions to sublime trance-inducing patterns.

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Still life silhouettes collide with abstract shapes and complex, interlocking patterns. Reimagining the commonplace objects of a classical painting genre with experimental animation.

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Delicate patterns inspired by North American wrapping papers from the 1960’s and French and English wallpapers from the early 1900s.

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A tribute to Pluto, everyone’s favorite planetoid

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A springboard ballet of private parts, in all their glorious combinations.

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Our best intentions can go awry when it comes to recycling plastic.

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Playful choreography of abstract shapes to delight the eye.

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Bold, crisp, playful animation that explores the organic geometry and archetypes of the human face.

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A witty commentary on our over-reliance on spell check that plays up phonetics with hilarious results.

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An experimental exploration and rediscovery of games and youthful pastimes.

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A roller coaster ride through the brain fog, flashes, mood swings, depression, pimples and rage of one of life's great transitions.

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An acronym for Distant Early Warning Line, Dew Line refers to the array of radar stations built in the Arctic during the Cold War, and to the elegant shapes created by condensation. This animated tapestry of biomorphic forms elegantly dances through the life cycles of cells while hinting at the loss of botanical diversity.

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A traveler’s love letter to Andalucía, this animated film is an homage to the culture, landscape, and architecture of southern Spain.

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Layers of animation featuring more than 600 sculptures, 200 glass pieces and 2200 drawings evoke an inspiring diving exploration in a freshwater lake in Yucatan.

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Pixilation of yoga instructor Diane Wilson, shot in the forest over a six month period and object animation of construction tools, bolts, screws and nails.

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Explores the magic of objects and transformation. Inspired by the boxes of Joseph Cornell, who lived on Utopia Parkway (Queens, NY) nearly all of his life.

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A film about the nature of oppression and community spirit.

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A powerful, emotional and sometimes humorous look at the daily life of a prison inmate and a corrections officer.

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A humorous and poignant look at what it means to be turning 40 and growing older.

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About loneliness and feeling isolated.

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A satire of the pitfalls of romance, from marriage, childbirth and upward mobility to the disintegration of a relationship.

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A powerful mythic poem about women, the Goddess and the human spirit. It examines our foibles and frailties and how we can grow out of them.

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Candyjam is a whimsical, animated collaboration by 10 animators from four countries: David Anderson (England), Karen Aqua (USA), Craig Bartlett (USA), Elizabeth Buttler (USA), Paul Driessen (Holland), Tom Gasek (USA), Joan Gratz (USA), Christine Panushka (USA), Joanna Priestley (USA) and Marv Newland (Canada).

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An abstract meditation on urban shapes and sounds.

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A humorous explanation of the fears we share: fear of the darkness, of monsters, of aging, of being overweight, and of global destruction.

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An abstract computer painting that was inspired by botanical forms.

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Based on an Ojibwa Native American story about coyote, the trickster, published by Barry Lopez.

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The Rubber Stamp Film was hand stamped on over 5000 index cards. Color was added with water color and felt pen.

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Martin Cooper’s documentary feature explores the lives and work of six internationally renowned, independent animators and animation directors. These multi-award-winning artists are Jim Blashfield, Rose Bond, Joan C. Gratz, Zak Margolis, Joanna Priestley and Chel White. Their animated films span a period of over 40 years and reflect a wide range of techniques, from direct animation and classic stop-motion, through 3D models, clay painting, computer-generated imagery up to AI. History, Mystery & Odyssey is entirely filmed in Portland Oregon, where all these animators live and work.

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Walt Disney said “We have created characters and animated them in the dimension of depth, revealing through them to our perturbed world that the things we have in common far outnumber and outweigh those that divide us.” Outside of Walt himself there are few people who have brought together and united more animators in the history of the genre than Craig "Spike" Decker and Mike Gribble, known to all as Spike & Mike. They created an animation festival that helped launch the careers of John Lasseter, Peter Lord, Will Vinton, Bill Plympton and Mike Judge to name just a few. Their Spike & Mike festival had an enormous impact on animation that was felt the world over. The festival was known as much for the breakthrough animation it presented as the outrageous antics of the founders.

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A humorous explanation of the fears we share: fear of the darkness, of monsters, of aging, of being overweight, and of global destruction.

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Explores the mythopoeic realm through mandalas and dream images that hint at hidden trauma.

Open details →

A dense multiverse of images and shifting focal points that explore the tension between two dimensional patterns both familiar and alien. Conventional icons are deconstructed, creating shapes that spark a sense of connection and shared history, while scenes transmogrify from rhythmic explosions to sublime trance-inducing patterns.

Open details →

An acronym for Distant Early Warning Line, Dew Line refers to the array of radar stations built in the Arctic during the Cold War, and to the elegant shapes created by condensation. This animated tapestry of biomorphic forms elegantly dances through the life cycles of cells while hinting at the loss of botanical diversity.

Open details →

A satire of the pitfalls of romance, from marriage, childbirth and upward mobility to the disintegration of a relationship.

Open details →

Candyjam is a whimsical, animated collaboration by 10 animators from four countries: David Anderson (England), Karen Aqua (USA), Craig Bartlett (USA), Elizabeth Buttler (USA), Paul Driessen (Holland), Tom Gasek (USA), Joan Gratz (USA), Christine Panushka (USA), Joanna Priestley (USA) and Marv Newland (Canada).

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