Features

The School of Visual Arts (SVA) BFA Animation program proudly celebrates the release of Lonely Magic, a musical journey created by alumna Rebecca Sugar (BFA 2009 Animation) alongside her creative partners, including fellow alumni Ian Jones-Quartey (BFA 2006 Animation), Alex Myung (BFA 2009 Animation), and Chris Burns (BFA 2003 Animation).

To welcome these notable alumni back to campus, the SVA community gathered at the SVA Theatre on Saturday, November 8, for a rare opportunity to learn about their extraordinary collaboration, their shared memories of SVA, and the creative process behind Lonely Magic, an independent project that reflects on Rebecca Sugar's musical journey. The event featured screenings of three Lonely Magic music videos—Ice Water, This Is a Love Song, and Hill to Die On—followed by a panel discussion moderated by BFA Animation Chair Hsiang Chin Moe (MFA 2008 Computer Art). The day concluded with a powerful acoustic performance by Rebecca that left the audience profoundly moved.

To capture the essence of this unforgettable experience, the BFA Animation department

invited several matriculated students—including TRINITY Curtis, Jazmin Zeitune, Sasha Rojer, three student representatives anonymously selected by their peers and lab assistant Noreen Sullivan—to share their thoughts, highlights, and personal takeaways from this

special day. Their reflections honor the spirit of the event and continue the conversation sparked by our remarkable alumni, offering unique perspectives that ranged from gathering fan art for the panelists to sharing heartfelt impressions and meaningful insights from a day many of us will never forget.

TRINITY Curtis, 2nd-Year Student Rep: Fan art & appreciation

It was such a blast putting together the fan art collection box! So many students, alumni, and even faculty wrote beautiful letters and works of art to share with the Lonely Magic team. It was heartwarming to see how much Rebecca, Ian, Alex and Chris influence our #AniFam

creatively. This was a highly anticipated event, with so much excitement surrounding the performance. We are so grateful to have experienced this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

Jazmin Zeitune, 3rd-Year Student Rep: Panel Discussion

The angels in the music video, representing Rebecca’s friends from SVA, but also the three aspects of the creative process— Epiphany, Rationale, and Ache—put into perspective how carefully thought out each moment in the animation played out.

I admired the collaborations between the panelists who exemplify the longevity of creative relationships and friendships. The collaborations between Rebecca’s experience and Alex’s knowledge in fashion created a memorable and inspiring video; for Ian, he motivated Rebecca to write a song about a difficult situation leading to the creation of Ice Water. Lastly, Ian and Chris, having previously worked together, reunited to collaborate on the animation for This is a Love Song. It was cool to see the process behind the music videos, once again,

seeing the character designs and the different steps when creating the final product.

Sasha Rojer, 4th-Year Student Rep: Acoustic Performance

In a theater full of people, Rebecca has the ability to make you feel as if she is singing to you and you alone. Her gentle voice and brilliant lyrics are enough to make you pause, while her emotional vulnerability is enough to bring you to tears. The charged silence of the audience reflected a growing awareness that we were in the presence of a legend. Rebecca’s

performance was a love letter to the extremes of an artist’s life: the beauty of inspiration, and the anguish of competition. Ice Water and Love The Way It Feels spoke to the journey of

animation students and the countless sacrifices we make for this craft. 

As Rebecca crooned, “Love the way it feels, even when it isn’t easy,” I felt something in my chest tighten. Rebecca’s voice wavered with emotion, yet she pressed on. At that moment, the act of performance became a part of the song’s thesis. Despite the overwhelming nature of existence, we accept suffering as part of the euphoria of feeling. If Ice Water represents the tangible journey of an artist, then Love The Way It Feels represents the spiritual one. I don’t think I could ever forget this performance, nor do I want to. 

Noreen Sullivan, Current Senior Student & Lab Assistant: The Future

From the pre-college students to recent alumni and other staff from different departments, you could feel the excitement in the air hours before the event started. It felt like this year, our department’s students truly came together to enjoy the experience, and this event played a massive factor [in fostering a sense of community]. When the panelists were talking about the friends they made in college and how amazing it was to still, over two decades

later, create art together, I could see everyone in the crowd get all misty eyed and looking at their friends. 

My takeaway was, everything is going to be ok. Being a college senior is really scary right now and I knew no amount of “‘just make art’’ was going to make that feeling go away. Hearing how Rebecca and Alex graduated during a recession and despite that, were able to succeed as artists was really inspiring. To see they were able to create Lonely Magic this year was amazing.

The BFA Animation Student Representatives collectively express their gratitude to the Lonely Magic team for returning to SVA and sharing their work with the next generation of

animators. They hope this event motivates the #AniFam to continue to create, collaborate, and tell stories inspired by life. Witnessing the tenacity, creativity, and dedication of the alumni, it was encouraging to learn how Ian Jones-Quatery, Chris Burns, Alex Myung and Rebecca Sugar’s time at SVA shaped them into the incredible artists they are today!

Photo credits: Laura June Kirsch (BFA 2007 Photography)