My Daughter, Lana
THIS BLOG IS ABOUT OUR DAUGHTER, LANA. SHE IS AN IDENTICAL TWIN TO OUR EMILY. AND ALTHOUGH THERE ARE TIMES WHEN THE GIRLS STILL LOOK THE SAME -LANA IS VERY MUCH HER OWN PERSON…. ANOTHER ONE OF OUR CHILDREN WORKING IN THE ARTS.
LANA HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN ARTISTIC GIRL BUT IT WAS THE MENTORING OF ONE OF HER FAVOURITE TEACHERS AT VICTORIA COMP. HIGH IN EDMONTON THAT SET THE STAGE FOR HER TO BECOME THE SENIOR ANIMATOR SHE IS TODAY.
ALTHOUGH SHE IS ONLY 30 YEARS OLD SHE HAS DONE SO MUCH WITH HER TIME POST HIGH SCHOOL. LANA STUDIED HER CRAFT AT THE SAN FRANCISCO ART INSTITUTE . IN UNIVERSITY SHE BASICALLY ( THERE WERE A COUPLE FRIENDS THAT BRAINED STORMED WITH HER TOO ) CAME UP WITH AND INSTITUTED THE IDEA OF AN ANIMATION CLUB. I THINK SHE SAID THAT AT HER FIRST MEETING OF ‘TEA TIME’ THERE WERE FIVE PEOPLE. IN FAIRLY SHORT ORDER THE MONTHLY MEETINGS BROUGHT OUT ABOUT 50 PEOPLE . NOW TEA TIME CAN BE FOUND INTERNATIONALLY! THEY ARE CELEBRATING THEIR 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY THIS YEAR AND HAVE SOME NEW ‘MERCH’ TO COMMEMORATE IT.
LANA WOULD ARRANGE FOR SPEAKERS FROM PLACES LIKE DISNEY TO COME OUT AND SPEAK TO THE GROUP AND SOON MAJOR STUDIOS WERE CALLING HER TO ASK HER IF THEY MIGHT SPEAK. SO COOL ! (I AM SO PROUD OF MY AWARD WINNING GIRL. I HAVE INCLUDED A PHOTO OF HER HOLDING HER ‘HAM’ AWARDS FOR DIFFERENT CATEGORIES IN HER FIELD. )
SHE WAS INVITED TO INTERN AT BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT ( AT THE TIME THE LARGEST GAMING INSTITUTE IN THE WORLD) AND SOON SHE WAS HIRED TO WORK THERE FULL TIME . SHE HAS ANIMATED MANY CHARACTERS AND SOME OF MY FAVES ARE FROM THE VIDEO GAME, ‘ HEROES OF THE STORM’ . IT IS REALLY FUN TO GO OUT TO LUNCH WITH LANA ( THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED WHEN WE VISITED HER AROUND MOTHER’S DAY) BECAUSE IF SOMEONE FINDS OUT SHE WORKS IN THIS BUSINESS AND SHE HAS ANIMATED ONE OF THEIR FAVOURITE VIDEO GAME CHARACTERS THEY GET QUITE STAR STRUCK. HA HA . LONG STORY BUT WHEN OUR SERVER REALIZED WHO LANA WAS HE STOPPED SERVING US AND ASKED A FELLOW SERVER TO ASK HER FOR HER AUTOGRAPH ON THIS BEHALF. HILARIOUS.
LANA ALSO STARTED OFF AS ‘HOLDING THE DOORS’ FOR THE GUESTS AT THE HUGE CONFERENCE , GDC, AND NOW LANA IS ONE OF THE MAJOR SPEAKERS AT THE CONFERENCE AND HAS EVEN LED CONFERENCES FOR GAME DEVELOPERS. SHE WAS RECENTLY FLOWN TO JAPAN TO BE A KEYNOTE SPEAKER THERE !
BEFORE SHE KNEW IT 5 YEARS HAD PASSED AT BLIZZARD – ( SHE RECEIVED HER FIVE YEAR SWORD GIFT !!!! … SORT OF LIKE A WATCH FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN RELATE TO MY AGE ) – AND SHE FELT THAT IT WAS TIME TO MOVE ON. SHE HAS RECENTLY BEEN HIRED AT RIOT GAMES AND IS ALREADY JUST LOVING HER NEW WORK. (IT SAYS A LOT THAT ALMOST THE WHOLE BLIZZARD GROUP CAME OUT TO SAY GOOD-BYE TO LANA AND EVEN MADE A WONDERFUL MINI-MOVIE FOR HER WITH FOLKS GIVING A SHOUT OUT TO HOW MUCH THEY WILL MISS HER.)
SHE CARES SO MUCH ABOUT YOUNG/NEW ANIMATORS AND HAS LED MANY MICRO TALKS TO GIVE THEM TIPS OF THE TRADE.
AND… ON TOP OF EVERYTHING ELSE LANA CONTINUES TO CREATE PERSONAL ARTWORK ..MOSTLY FOR GIFTS OR FOR COMMISSIONS . I HAVE INCLUDED ONE OF HER FIRST (!) CHARCOALS SHE DID OF INDIANA JONES, A GIFT FOR HER BROTHER, DARREN.
LANA IS IN A GOOD PLACE IN HER LIFE WITH A GOOD JOB , A NEW HOME, AND A GOOD MAN. SHE SEEMS SO HAPPY AND WE ARE SO HAPPY FOR HER.
PROUD TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR LANA.
