I spent my formative years in a small upstate New York town surrounded by farmland, enchanted Adirondack forests, and lakes created by a giant's fingers, so the story goes. I currently live in Central New York with my wonderful wife and daughters.
Note: The barn above is based on a barn at 581 E Hines Hill Rd in Hudson, Ohio before it collapsed. I used to drive by it every time I went to Costco (below).
About
Jeff Harter is a freelance illustrator for children’s books. His recent clients include Paula Wiseman Books (Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing), Doubleday/Random House Children’s Books, Harper Collins US, Pixel + Ink, and Farshore (Harper Collins Publishers.) He is represented by Anne Moore Armstrong of the Bright Agency. He continues to develop concepts for animated TV shows, represented by Dannie Festa of World Builders Entertainment. He is also an Assistant Professor of Illustration at the Rochester Institute of Technology.
Previously, Jeff was an animation assistant at the Walt Disney Animation Studio on the feature films Hercules, Mulan, and Tarzan, then a Supervising Character Artist at Disney Consumer Products in Burbank California for the Winnie the Pooh team.
He later joined American Greetings and contributed to the licensing, alternative humor, and entertainment departments. As a senior creative developer with AG Entertainment (now Cloudco), he created the animated sci-fi comedy “Packages from Planet X," which aired on Disney XD in 2013. In addition, he created the original concept and early visual development for the animated comedy "Boy, Girl, Dog, Cat, Mouse, Cheese," currently in season 2 for the Children’s BBC and Gulli networks in the UK and France. Jeff left American Greetings to become an Associate Professor and Chair of Illustration at the Cleveland Institute of Art from 2015 to 2021.
Jeff currently lives in Central New York with his wonderful wife and daughters.
JEFF HARTER CV
EDUCATION
2001 MA, Illustration, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY. Thesis: The Illustrators of Animation: A History of Visual Development. Thesis Advisors: Professor William Padgett, Professor Bob Dacey, Professor Murray Tinkelman
1996 BFA program, Character Animation (2 yrs.) California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, CA
1990 BFA Illustration, Minor, Art History. Dean’s List. State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
1985 Cayuga Community College, Auburn, NY (Liberal arts courses)
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2021 – Present. Assistant Professor, Illustration, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY. Courses taught from 2021 - present: ILLS 599 Illustration Independent Study, ILLS 550 Topics in Illustration – Character Design, ILLS 501 Illustration Portfolio, ILLS 371 2D/3D World Building, ILLS 369 Digital Mixed Media, ILLS 206 Composition and Color
2020 – 2021 Associate Professor, Chair of Illustration, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, OH. Courses taught from 2015 - 2020: FND 130A Freshmen Elective Animation/Illustration, ANIM 209 Intro to Animation ,ILL 260 Layout Rendering Techniques, ILL 263 Fundamentals of Illustration, ILL 264 Principals of Illustration, ILL 265 Character Design + Development, ILL 367A Storyboarding + Sequential Art, ILL 371 Visual Concepts in Illustration, ILL 389 Community Projects , IME 402 BFA Thesis & Exhibition, ILL 463A BFA Preparation, ILL 463B Advanced Illustration, ILL 464B Illustration Final Project
2015 –2019 Assistant Professor, Illustration Chair, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, OH
2013 –2014: Adjunct Instructor, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, OH. Course taught: Animation/Illustration: Visual Storytelling
2012: Adjunct Instructor, Kent State University, Kent, OH. Course taught: Design/Illustration Techniques I
1999 – 2000: Visiting Instructor, Cazenovia College, Cazenovia, NY. Courses taught: Advanced Illustration, Senior Portfolio
1999: Adjunct Instructor, Onondaga Community College, Syracuse, NY. Course taught: Drawing
2010 – 2013: Internship Mentor, Aurora High School, Aurora, OH
1991-1992: Job Coach, Cayuga County Mental Health Center, Auburn, NY
SERVICE TO ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
2023: Provided illustration department and CAD tours for prospective students and their family
2023: Created plan and proposal for the first annual CAD Visiting Artist – John Quinn, Creative Director of Disney Consumer Products
2023: National Portfolio Day, Boston, MA
2023: RIT Virtual National Portfolio Day, Rochester, NY
2023: Maintained contacts with American Greetings + Hasbro for Internship possibilities
2023: Provided student illustrations for RIT Spring semester Open House
2023: School of Art Senior Staff Assistant Search Committee
2022: Program Developer, Lead the development of RIT Certified Non-Credit Program for Illustration
2022: National Portfolio Day, Hartford CT
2022: RIT Virtual National Portfolio Day, Rochester, NY
2022: Illustration Studio Space Planning Committee
SERVICE TO CLEVELAND INSTITUTE OF ART, CLEVELAND, OH
2021: Assessment Steering
2021: Faculty Personnel
2020: Higher Learning Commission, Departmental Preparation for CIA Evaluation
2020: Freshman Elective Task Force
2020: BFA / Spring Show Committee
2019: Peer Review Committee
2019: Animation Search Committee
2019: Illustration Search Committee
2019: NASAD Task Force
2019: Spring Open House
2018: CTN Animation Expo, CIA Recruitment, Burbank, CA
2018: Animation Ranked Faculty Search Committee
2018: Illustration Ranked Faculty Search Committee
2018: Assistant Professor Contract Renewal Committee
2017: Academic Advisory Committee
2017: Instructional Programs Subcommittee, NASAD Self-Study
2017: Spring Open House, CIA Recruitment
2017: Cleveland National Portfolio Day, CIA Recruitment, Cleveland, OH
2017: Online Student Portfolio and Presence, AAC Sub-Committee
2017: Illustration Ranked Faculty Search Committee
2017: English Ranked Faculty Search Committee
2017: Assistant Professor Contract Renewal Committee
2016: Academic Advisory Committee
2016: Contract Renewal Committee
2016: Regional Portfolio Day, CIA Recruitment, Cleveland, OH
2016: Columbus National Portfolio Day, CIA Recruitment, CCAD, Columbus, OH
2016: Animation Ranked Faculty Search Committee
2016: Game Design Ranked Faculty Search Committee
2015: Academic Advisory Committee
2015: Cleveland National Portfolio Day, CIA Recruitment, Cleveland, OH
ROCHESTER INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY ORGANIZED FIELD TRIPS
2023: Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Rochester, NY
2022: Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, Rochester, NY
CLEVELAND INSTITUTE OF ART ORGANIZED FIELD TRIPS
2020: American Greetings, Westlake, OH
2019: American Greetings, Westlake, OH
2018: American Greetings, Westlake, OH
2019: Walt Disney Animation Studio, Burbank, CA
2019: CTN Animation Expo, Burbank CA
2019: Brandywine River Museum of Art, Chadds Ford, PA
2017: Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
2017: Museum of Illustration at the Society of Illustrators, New York, NY
2017: Steve Brodner Illustration Studio, New York, NY
2017: NY Comicon, New York, NY
INVITED PRESENTATIONS/GUEST SPEAKER
2019: Cleveland Cavaliers/Cavs Legion E-Sports program, Cleveland, OH
2018: Kent State University, Illustration Career
2015: Cleveland Institute of Art, Character Design
2014: Cleveland Institute of Art, How to Pitch an Animated TV Show
2014: American Greetings, The Making of Packages from Planet X
2013: American Greetings, Packages from Planet X Advanced Screening
2013: Cleveland Institute of Art, Animated TV Show Pitch, and Development
2010: Lyndon State College, Visiting Artist, Illustration and Animation
2009: American Greetings, Story Telling through Character Acting
1998-1999: Animation Workshop, Southern Cayuga School
1995: Children’s Book Illustration Workshop, Authors Day, Jordan-Elbridge School
PROFESSIONAL ILLUSTRATION AND ANIMATION EXPERIENCE
1989 – present: Freelance Illustrator in advertising, animation, consumer products, editorial, Entertainment, greeting cards, licensing, and children’s book publishing.
REPRESENTATION
Bright Agency: Children’s books, publishing, etc.
Festa Entertainment: animation + intellectual property development
A partial freelance client list is provided below. Commission details available upon request:
American Greetings Properties, American Greetings Alternative Humor, American Greetings Design Studio, American Greetings Entertainment, American Greetings Interactive, Ask Magazine, Cartoon Network, Cricket Magazine, Darice, DHX Media, Disney Publishing, Disney Catalog, Disney Consumer Products, Disney XD, Disney Store Design & Development, Doubleday, an imprint of Random House, Farshore (an imprint of HarperCollins), Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins , Hasbro, Image Comics, Jacquie Lawson, Kelly Clarkson, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Pixel + Ink, Play Along Toys, Mercury Filmworks, Paula Wiseman Books/Simon and Schuster, Random House Children’s Books, Reason Magazine, Scholastic Publishing, Simon & Schuster, Syracuse University Magazine, Top Cow (Image Comics) , USAir Magazine, Tetris, Vivendi–Universal , Wolf Mansfield Bolling Advertising
2009 – 2015: Senior Illustrator, American Greetings Alternative Humor, Cleveland, OH
2004 – 2009: Senior Creative Developer, American Greetings Entertainment, Cleveland, OH. Researched, created, pitched, and visually developed 30 intellectual properties for children’s animation, targeting specific television networks, resulting in development and production deals with Cartoon Network, Disney XD, and the CBBC. Creator: Boy Girl Dog Cat Mouse Cheese, CBBC, 2019 air date. Creator: Packages from Planet X, Disney XD USA, 2013 air date
2004 – 2006: Care Bear Lead, American Greetings Properties, Cleveland, OH. Managed the development of Care Bears content in entertainment, publishing, toys, licensing, merchandising and soft goods. Lead Illustrator for all character art and style guide development
2000 – 2004: Supervising Character Artist, Disney Consumer Products, Burbank, CA. Lead Illustrator/Character Artist for the Winnie the Pooh Team. Supervised and trained staff and freelance artists on the creation and development of Winnie the Pooh and Friends character art, from concept to finish. Collaborated with leadership, business team, designers, and external retail and licensing partners on seasonal portfolio development. Created artwork for multiple classic Disney properties
1999: Graphic Artist/Illustrator. Mackenzie-Childs, Aurora, NY. Created traditional and digital graphics for the marketing department.
1996 – 1999: Assistant Animator, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Burbank, CA. Breakdown animator for Jane on the feature film Tarzan. In-between animator for Mulan on the feature film Mulan. In-between animator for Pain & Panic on the feature film Hercules
1996: Animation Trainee, Walt Disney Feature Animation Training Program, Glendale, CA
1992 – 1994: Computer Illustrator, Syracuse Language Systems, Syracuse, NY. Developed Illustrations, icons, and animations for multimedia interactive language learning game software
1990 – 1992 Graphic Artist. Created traditional and digital graphics for the advertising department. The Citizen Newspaper, Auburn, NY
ANIMATED TV & FILM CREDITS
2018: Creator of Boy Girl Dog Cat Mouse Cheese (TV Series 2019), BBC/CBBC
2014: Creator of Boy Girl Dog Cat Mouse Cheese (Development Deal, Disney XD)
2013: Creator of Boy Girl Dog Cat Mouse Cheese (Development Deal - Cartoon Network)
2013: Creator of Packages from Planet X (TV Series 2013), American Greetings, DHX, Disney XD
2009: Character Designer, The Twisted Whiskers Show (TV Series) American Greetings,Mike Young Productions, CBS
2008: Visual Development, Maryoku Yummi (TV Series) American Greetings, DQ Entertainment, Discovery Family
2007: Visual Development, Sushi Pack (TV Series) American Greetings, DIC, CBS
2007: Lead Designer, Care Bears: Oopsy Does It Movie, American Greetings
2005: Executive Producer, Care Bears: Big Wish Movie, American Greetings/Nelvana
1999: Breakdown Artist, Jane team, Tarzan, Walt Disney Feature Animation
1997 - 1998: In-between Artist, Hercules and Mulan, Walt Disney Feature Animation
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
2023: Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators
CURRENT RESEARCH
2023: New Intellectual Property and Animated TV Show Development. Currently creating a pitch bible with a logline, characters, story summary, episode premises, and character design and visual development to pitch to animation studios TV networks, and streaming services. Collaborating with writer Byron Kavanagh, Story Editor at Disney XD.
GRANTS/FUNDING
2021-23: Pre-tenured Start-up funds, Rochester Institute of Technology
2022: Pre-tenured Faculty Development Funds, Rochester Institute of Technology
2019: Faculty Development Funds, Cleveland Institute of Art, CTN Animation eXpo,
2018: Faculty Development funds, Cleveland Institute of Art, Research trip to Society of Illustrators and NY Comicon
2018: Faculty Development Funds, Cleveland Institute of Art, ICON10 Illustration Conference
2016: Faculty Development Funds, Cleveland Institute of Art, ICON9 Illustration Conference
2012: Creative Recharge Grant, American Greetings, CLE to NYC Research, NY office for new IP Dev, research at Society of Illustrators,MOMA, Museum of American Folk Art
2011: Creative Recharge Grant, American Greetings, Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown, NY, Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge, MA, and the Eric Carle Museum, Amherst MA,
2011: Creative Recharge Grant, American Greetings, Vancouver Institute Media of Arts Masterclass in Animation & Story at Cinematheque Quebecoise (Claude-Jutra Theatre) Montreal Quebec
2010: Creative Recharge Grant, American Greetings, Character Development/Visual Development/New Intellectual Property Development and Studio Research Trip to Walt Disney Animation Studio, Cartoon Network Studio, World Builders Entertainment (Los Angeles, CA) and DreamWorks SKG Animation Studio, Pixar Animation Studio, Charles Schulz Museum, Walt Disney Family Museum (San Francisco,CA)
2010: Creative Recharge Grant, American Greetings, Licensing and Stationery Design Research trip, National Stationery Show, Jacob Javits Center, New York NY
AWARDS/HONORS/SCHOLARSHIPS
2023: Society of Illustrators LA, Illustration West 61, Category: Children’s Market Silver Award, The Lion on the Bus.
2023: Society of Illustrators LA, Illustration West 61, Category: Unpublished & Self-Promotional, January Illustration.
2023: Society of Illustrators LA, Illustration West 61, Category: Unpublished & Self-Promotional, October Illustration.
2022: Finalist, 2022 Cybils Awards for Board Books and Picture Books, 10 Little Tractors.
2021: Irish Animated Awards, Best Animated Kids Series 6+, Boy Girl Dog Cat Mouse Cheese
2021: Irish Animated Awards, Kid’s Choice for Best Animated Kid’s Series, Six +, Boy Girl Dog Cat Mouse Cheese
2014: Twice Nominee, American Greetings Chairman’s Award for Creativity & Innovation
2012: Grand Winner, American Greetings Chairman’s Award for Creativity and Innovation
2007: Nominee, American Greetings Chairman’s Award for Creativity and Innovation
1995: Warner Brothers Scholarship
1994: CalArts Scholarship
1990: Columbia University Editorial Cartoon Competition, First Place
EXHIBITIONS
2023: Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles Illustrators West 61 Art Exhibit, LA City College Davinci Gallery, Los Angeles CA
2023: Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles Illustrators West 61 Art Online Exhibition
2023: CAD Faculty Exhibition, Bevier Gallery, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
2022: CAD Faculty Exhibition, Bevier Gallery, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY
2020: Faculty Show, Reinberger Gallery, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, OH
2019: Faculty Show, Reinberger Gallery, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, OH
2018: Faculty Show, Reinberger Gallery, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, OH
2017: Faculty Show, Reinberger Gallery, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, OH
2016: Faculty Show, Reinberger Gallery, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, OH
2015: Faculty Show, Reinberger Gallery, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland, OH
2014: Towpath Illustration, American Greetings Permanent Collection, Cleveland, OH
2012: Mythological Creatures, American Greetings Gallery, Cleveland, OH
2010: Alternative Humor Group Show, American Greetings Gallery, Cleveland, OH
2008: Madballs, American Greetings Gallery, Cleveland, OH
2006: Grumpy Freak Show, American Greetings Gallery, Cleveland, OH
2005: Folk Art Group Show, American Greetings Gallery, Cleveland, OH
2004: Holiday Group Show, American Greetings Gallery, Cleveland, OH
2002: Beyond Disney: Personal Works of Disney Artists, Synergy Lab, Glendale, CA
2001: Disney Consumer Products Personal Work Group Show, DCP Building, Burbank, CA
1998: Walt Disney Feature Animation Caricature Show, WDFA Building, Burbank CA
1995: Producer’s Show, The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, N. Hollywood, CA
1995: Open Show, Bijou Theater, CalArts, Valencia, CA
1994: Open Show, Bijou Theater, CalArts, Valencia, CA
1994: Art from Hell, U.B. Alumni Show, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
1992: Buffalo Illustrators Group Show, University at Buffalo Art Gallery, Amherst, NY
1990: Senior Show, Bethune Hall Gallery, S.U.N.Y at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY
MEDIA COVERAGE
2023: RIT News, RIT illustrators hit the right notes with Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.
2023: RIT College of Art & Design News, Illustration program works with American Greetings on 'Valenstein' Day cards.
2022: The Citizen Newspaper, Auburn, NY, Auburn Native Illustrator of New Children’s Book.
2018: WKYC-NBC Cleveland, OH, Star Wars Student Poster Contest, Disney Home Entertainment (Interview).
2013: The Citizen Newspaper, Auburn, NY, The Citizen’s Top Five Arts and Entertainment Stories of the Year.
2013: The Citizen Newspaper, Auburn, NY, Auburn Native Jeff Harter Talks About the Disney XD Show He Created, ‘Packages from Planet X.’
2013: The Cleveland Plain Dealer, Cleveland, OH, ‘Clevelander Creates Animated Series Now on Disney XD.”
2012: Expressions: 2012 Chairman’s Award, American Greetings Corporation, Making His Mark in Feature Animation, Jeff Harter AG Properties
2012: Imagine.com, American Greetings, AGP Introduces Packages from Planet X
2010: The Critic, Lyndon State College, How to Become a Successful Disney Illustrator in 5 Easy Steps.
CONFERENCE ACTIVITY/PARTICIPATION
2023: Society of Children’s Writers and Illustrators New York Winter Conference. Children’s book manuscript reviewed by Patricia Ocampo, Senior Editor of Kids Can Press
2019: CTN Animation Expo – Burbank CA, Representative of CIA Animation / Illustration
2018: CTN Animation Expo – Burbank CA, Representative of CIA Animation / Illustration
2018: ICON 10 Illustration Conference – Detroit Michigan, Attendee
2016: ICON 9 Illustration Conference – Austin, Texas, Attendee
SKILLS
• Proficiency in all Adobe Creative Suite programs, with professional-level skills in Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator
• Traditional/digital animation, TV show creation/pitch/ development, caricature, cartooning, character design, conceptual illustration, observational drawing, sequential art, visual development, new intellectual property development