Andy Smart

Andy Smart

Growing up in southern Ontario, my earliest days were spent with a pencil or brush in hand. I have always loved the tactile feel of traditional drawing and painting, which eventually grew into a passion for capturing strong structural form and proportion. This love for the foundational arts naturally led me to study Classical Animation at Sheridan College, right during the inspiring heyday of Disney's hand-drawn masterpieces like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and The Lion King. While I later studied Digital Animation at Capilano University to bring my art to the screen, my heart never drifted far from my traditional roots. This blend of classic illustration and digital storytelling launched my career in television, where I animated on the Gemini Award-winning series Angela Anaconda and helped bring characters to life for Chelsea Road Productions.

Today, I pour those decades of experience—and my enduring love for rich, hand-painted aesthetics—into my publishing and design studio, Beckon Creative. This is where I find my greatest joy: handling every step of creating children's books, from the very first whimsical pencil sketch to the beautifully illustrated final pages. Beyond children's literature, I continue to take on a wide array of graphic design, video, and multimedia projects. Whether I am crafting a corporate brand identity, directing video projects, or drawing detailed architectural illustrations, my goal is always to bring an honest, hardworking, and distinctly human touch to every piece of art I create.