Sheila Graber

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name = Sheila Graber


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birth_date = Birth year and age|1940
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residence = Sunderland, Tyne and Wear
known_for = Animating "Paddington"
employer = Sunderland University
occupation = animator
teacher
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website = http://www.graber-miller.com
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Sheila Graber (born 1940) is a British animator and Visiting Professor to the University of Sunderland. She animated the children's television series "Paddington", has taught in schools and universities, and has won numerous awards.

Early life

Graber was born in 1940, and raised in South Shields, Tyne and Wear. She began her career as a teacher in Birmingham after earning a National Diploma in Fine Art from the Sunderland Art College (now part of the University of Sunderland) in 1959.

After twenty years of teaching, Graber first began to make animated films in 1970, initially using the medium to teach her students another form of art, following on from painting, clay modelling, woodwork and metalwork.cite web |url=http://www.graber-miller.com/cv.html |title=CV |accessdate=2008-08-30 |work=graber-miller.com |publisher=Sheila Graber and Jen Miller]

Animation

Between 1975 and 1980, Graber created a selection of animated shorts which were shown worldwide. One animation, "Mondrian", about the Dutch painter Piet Mondrian was screened at the Tate Gallery, Mondrian’s own house in Holland, the Open University the and British Broadcasting Corporation's children's television series "Blue Peter".

By 1975, Graber was working for Filmfair, and created the animation for Paddington Bear and Mr and Mrs Brown for the television series "Paddington".cite news |title=Paddington animator returns home |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/wear/3751182.stm |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC Online |date=2004-10-18 |accessdate=2008-08-30 ] She also animated the 1983 BBC series "Just So Stories", adapted from a collection of children's stories of the same name, written by Rudyard Kipling.cite press release |title=Teesside has world-wide animation appeal |publisher=University of Teesside |date=2001-08-10 |url=http://www.tees.ac.uk/sections/news/pressreleases_story.cfm?story_id=926&this_issue_title=August+2001&this_issue=46 |accessdate=2008-08-29 ]

In 1980, newly divorced, Sheila left her role as head of Creative Studies at a large comprehensive school to begin teaching animation classes in Tunisia and Caracas, and pursue a career as a full-time professional artist and animator.

Many of Graber's films are held in the archive of the Institute of Amateur Cinematographers film and video institute [http://www.theiac.org.uk] , including a number she made as the introduction for events and conferences hosted by that organisation. [cite web |url=http://www.fvi.org.uk/training/graber.html |title=Sheila's back! |accessdate=2008-08-30 |publisher=Institute of Amateur Cinematographers |last=Watterson |first=Dave ]

Later life

In 2001, Sheila took a position at the University of Teesside, as the Animator in Residence. Commenting on her appointment, she said, "I’m hoping to work ... on making a film and explore the potential of computer animation." After creating over 60 shorts and three series for World TV, she teamed up with fellow director Jen Miller in 1996 to form the company Graber Miller. In 2004 she moved to the Republic of Ireland to open a studio to provide guidance and inspiration to a new generation of animators, before taking up a position at the University of Sunderland later that same year. Speaking of her role as Senior Research and Teaching Fellow in Animation, Graber said, "it's great to work with older students. It's a real two-way process and I hope I inspire them as much as they inspire me." As of 2008, Graber continues to work at the university. [cite web |url=http://admc.sunderland.ac.uk/subject-areas/arts-and-design/design/our-staff/sheila-graber |title=Sheila Graber |accessdate=2008-08-30 |publisher=University of Sunderland]

Awards and recognition

Graber was awarded an Honorary Fellowship from the University of Sunderland in 1998 for "Outstanding services to Education and Art". [cite web |url=http://www.sunderland.ac.uk/university/ourpeople/graduates/honfellows/ |title=Honorary Fellowships |accessdate=2008-08-29 |publisher=University of Sunderland ]

In 2003, Graber won an award in the "Best Digital Image Designer Category" at the North East and Border regional award ceremony of the Royal Television Society, [cite web |url=http://www.rts.org.uk/Information_page_+_3_pic_det.asp?id=2983&sec_id=544 |title=Best Digital Image Designer |accessdate=2008-08-29 |year=2003 |work=Royal Television Society ] and had another production nominated for "The Wow Factor" – two minutes of video which could produce a collective "Wow" from the judges. [cite web |url=http://www.rts.org.uk/Information_page_+_3_pic_det.asp?id=3849&sec_id=708 |title=The Wow Factor |accessdate=2008-08-29 |year=2003 |work=Royal Television Society ] In 2004, one of her works was a finalist in the "Best Non-Broadcast Factual Production Category". [cite web |url=http://www.rts.org.uk/Information_page_+_3_pic_det.asp?id=3842&sec_id=708 |title=Best Non-Broadcast Factual Production |accessdate=2008-08-29 |year=2003 |work=Royal Television Society ] and was awarded the annual Lifetime Achievement Award, [cite web |url=http://www.rts.org.uk/Information_page_+_3_pic_det.asp?id=3851&sec_id=708 |title=Lifetime Achievement Award |accessdate=2008-08-29 |year=2004 |work=Royal Television Society ]

References

External links

* [http://www.graber-miller.com/ Graber Miller]
* [http://www.sunderland.ac.uk/research/rae/staff/staffdetail/index.php?stid=2093 Sheila Graber at University of Sunderland]