Sleepy Bear

In September of 2024, my dad and I climbed Mount St. Helens in Washington State. The night before summit, I awoke to what I thought was the rising sun, but was actually the shine of the moon in the pitch black chamber of light isolation that was halfway up this mountain. I was laying in our tent and I heard my dad snoring and the wind rustling the trees and tent fabric and I imagined a bear sleeping outside. But I didn't feel scared; rather, inspired and at peace. This experience inspired me to make this for my stop-motion project at the University of Oregon. In reflection of that thin tent and twisting mind, this short animation is intentionally dream-like, as most of the action takes place in the "gutter", the pauses, or what is not seen.