Anita Clipston
Pomerantz Center, Room D307
Education
BA, Norwich University of the Arts
MFA, New York Academy of Art
Biography
Anita Clipston is a British/Canadian filmmaker, artist, and writer based in New York City. After earning a bachelor's degree in classical animation, Clipston went on to work as a propmaker and set builder for Aardman Animations, a theatre costumer, and a VFX artist for companies such as Industrial Light and Magic, Disney, and Blue Sky Studios. She worked on projects such as Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, the Harry Potter franchise, Pacific Rim, and Jurassic World.
Returning to her traditional art roots, Clipston studied the Florence method of drawing in Canada, where she also worked as a teacher and studio assistant. She went on to complete her MFA at the New York Academy of Art. In her own traditional work she uses her knowledge and love of film to create tableaus and moments from her life with multiple layered allegories. Using both traditional and 3D-generated computer models, Clipston works her final compositions for lighting studies to create a personal narrative for her paintings.
Clipston has a passion for storytelling in all its forms and writes stories and poetry in her spare time. She is currently writing a feature length stop motion script, alongside a live action dance/puppetry short film. Her website "the restless creative," a name coined for her by a friend and teacher in the UK, shows her diverse skillset. She thinks of herself as a renaissance woman with skills in puppet making, set building, prop and model making, costume design and fabrication, alongside traditional drawing and painting, printmaking, design, photography, and writing.
Selected Publications
"Art in the Age of Social Media," Canadian Watercolour Magazine, International Watercolour Society, Canada, March 2024.
"The Restless Creative: Embracing Versatility in your Studio," Canadian Watercolour Magazine, International Watercolour Society, Canada, June 2023.
Because of a Word, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2016.
Exhibitions
Double Exposure: A Survey of works by New York Art Educators, FSC Memorial Gallery, Farmingdale, NY. June 2025
Big Life Draw Exposition – Gallerie du Nord, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. June 2025
Group Show – The Old Kiln Yard Gallery, Wokingham, UK. June 2024
Group Show – The Old Kiln Yard Gallery, Wokingham, United Kingdom. May 2024
Group Show – The Old Kiln Yard Gallery, Wokingham, United Kingdom. March 2024
Group Show – The Old Kiln Yard Gallery, Wokingham, United Kingdom. December 2023
Portraits Gallerium Exhibition (Online). September 2023
Atelier Group Show, Art Students League, NY- (Online). April 2023
Mental Health & Wellness – Amplify Exhibition (Online). October 2022
AIRE: 2022 Annual International Representational Exhibition. September 2022
Federation of Canadian Artists Gallery, Vancouver, BC
A Portrait of Insomnia - Amplify Exhibition (longlist online). September 2022
Atelier group show - Art Students League, NY- (Online). March 2022
Her Story – Exhibition of Art by Women artists – Manhattan Arts. February 2022
Emotions – Gallerium Exhibition (Online). January 2022
April Showers bring May Flowers IWS (International Society of Watercolour), Canada. May 2021
MFA Thesis Exhibition: New York Academy of Art, New York, NY. May 2021
April Showers Exhibition - IWS (International Society of Watercolour), Canada (Online). April 2021
Tribeca Ball: New York Academy of Art, New York, NY. April 2021
Student exhibition, New York Academy of Art, New York, NY. April 2021
Deck the Walls: New York Academy of Art, New York, NY. Dec 2020
Deck the Walls: New York Academy of Art, New York, NY. Dec 2019
AIRE: 2018 Annual International Representational Exhibition. Oct 2018
Federation of Canadian Artists Gallery, Vancouver, BC
Janice Blore Studio Guest Artist: Solo North Vancouver, BC. March 2018
Mandy Boursicot Atelier: Summer Student Show. June 2015-2018
Rascal Art Event, Vancouver, BC. Nov 2015
Film
"The Mooncatcher," Porto Film Festival, 1998
Scholarships and Grants
Art Students League, NY – American Watercolor Society Grant (Honorable Mention), 2022
New York Academy of Art Academy Scholar Award, 2020-2021
New York Academy of Art Academy Trustee Scholarship
New York Academy of Art Academy Sarah P. Dodd Patrons Scholar Award
New York Academy of Art Academy Scholar Award, 2019
Awards
Film at Lincoln Center Academy Finalist (shortlisted), July 2024
Circle Arts – Artist of the Month Certificate of Excellence, June 2022
The Best of Drawing Magazine Finalist, 2021
The Best of Drawing Magazine Finalist, 2019
AXA Art Award East Coast Representative Juror, 2025
Courses
- IL 153 Drawing I
- IL 154 Drawing II
- IL 306 Visual Storytelling I
- IL 405 Visual Storytelling II
- IL 493 Illustration Portfolio Thesis
Websites