Greta Gonzalez: An artist with the heart of a dancer
Greta Gonzalez is a force of nature. Visual artists and animators face fierce competition in their industry, and Greta is no stranger to the hard work and dedication required to succeed in this career path.
Before Greta became one of Brafton's top animators, she gained a wealth of personal and professional experience on a life's journey that took her to many amazing locations across the globe.
Dancing in Havana
Greta was born and raised in Havana, Cuba, where she was first introduced to the fine arts through ballet. When she wasn't dancing, Greta spent hours a day drawing and using her vivid imagination to create characters and settings inspired by her home country.
Not only did ballet give Greta another avenue to express herself creatively, but it also gave her the discipline and work ethic that continues to support her artistic talents to this day. Through high school, Greta utilized her foundational knowledge of ballet to perform Cuban dances like the cha-cha-cha, guaguanco, salsa, danzón, mambo and many others.
Meanwhile, Greta continued to cultivate her love of drawing. When she first saw the movie "Finding Nemo," the combination of art, story and technology stunned and inspired her.
Leaving the theater, Greta remembers saying, "I have no idea how it's done, but that's what I want to do."
After high school, Greta continued to study ballet. The life of a dancer is filled with long rehearsal hours, hard work and the constant risk of a damaging accident. After receiving several back and leg injuries, Greta determined she was satisfied with the work she had accomplished as a dancer and decided to pursue her passion for the visual arts.
Building a new career in Metepec and Vancouver
From the sunny caribbean, Greta traveled west to Metepec, a town near Mexico City. There, Greta studied the English language, 3D graphics and animation. Just five months into the program, Greta worked on her first professional projects, creating graphics for TV commercials.
Continuing to develop her skills, Greta stayed in Metepec for three years until she was accepted to the 3D animation and visual effects program at Vancouver Film School, an institution that is internationally recognized for its contributions to film and television. If you've seen a blockbuster movie in the past 30 years, there's a good chance someone from VFS worked on it.
While going to school, Greta had the opportunity to create graphics for the 2011 Canadian Country Music Awards. After completing the year-long VFS program, Greta left British Columbia (and Vancouver's skyrocketing rent prices) to pursue her professional dreams in The Windy City.
Joining Brafton in Chicago
Never one to stay idle for very long, Greta immediately found work as a freelancer in Chicago. She designed 3D assets and animations for mobile games and app trailers, gaining new skills and experience with each project. Eventually, Greta had the opportunity to work with bigger brands, including pharmaceutical companies, Mitsubishi Motors, General Mills and Disney – the company that inspired her career.
During this time, Greta's talents were recognized with an honorable mention at the MarCom Awards, for a 3D animated character she created for Thermo Fisher Scientific.
2014 was a lucky year for Brafton, because that's when Greta joined our Chicago team. There, Greta applied her extensive background to create 2D graphics and animations for a number of satisfied clients.
"I might not be working for Pixar, but life works in mysterious ways. I'm sure I wouldn't be happier anywhere else than at Brafton," Greta says.
I might not be working for Pixar, but life works in mysterious ways. I'm sure I wouldn't be happier anywhere else than at Brafton.
Working remotely in Miami
Greta has since left Chicago, but remains one of Brafton's most talented animators, working remotely from Miami. As a former freelancer and a driven professional, Greta maintains a steady workflow from home. She enjoys the peace of working alone and without the distractions of the office. She maintains a close line of communication with the Chicago team, usually starting each day by chatting with animation lead Evelin Serritos over breakfast.
When she's not working, Greta travels, cooks and watches movies with her friends and family. As a new mom, Greta dedicates most of her free time to her infant daughter, who has brought so much more love to Greta's life.
Even though she resides in a much sunnier climate than the rest of us, Greta is an integral member of the Brafton team. We hope to have Greta's talents, positive attitude and strong work ethic on our side for a long time to come.
Alexander Santo
Alexander Santo is a Brafton writer living in Washington. ​He enjoys searching for the perfect cup of coffee, browsing used book shops and attending punk rock concerts.
By Alexander Santo