Aaron Blaise is a living legend in animation, capturing the beauty and complexities of the natural world in his work for more than 30 years. From the start of his career at Walt Disney Feature Animation, he brought to life iconic characters in films that include Beauty and the Beast (1991), The Lion King (1994), and Pocahontas (1995). He made his feature directorial debut with Brother Bear (2003), a film that displayed his special bond with animals and received a Best Animated Feature Oscar® nomination. For the last 12 years, he has shared his wisdom with the next generation of artists and storytellers at his renowned online art school, Creature Art Teacher. Snow Bear, a gorgeous 2D hand-drawn passion project that he created over three years almost entirely on his own, is Aaron’s latest project. Along with screening the short, he will also offer a behind-the-scenes look at his filmmaking process, answer questions, and lead us in a drawing activity inspired by the film. —Keith Zwölfer