ABOUT ME

Hi! I’m Mara Vercaeren, a 20-year-old painter and animation student based in Brussels.

I actually discovered animation by accident! Originally I was looking into music therapy studies at LUCA School of Arts, but stumbled across the animation course in Brussels and fell in love with the idea of turning feelings into drawings. It felt like the perfect mix of everything I love, music, art, and stories.

Now in my final year of the Bachelor in Audiovisual Arts at LUCA, I’ve explored 3D, stop-motion, and 2D animation, but 2D is where I currently feel most at home. I especially enjoy storyboarding and character design, creating visually interesting designs with expressive colours and carefully placed details.

In 2024, my short teaser SINK IN was selected for the ANIMA International Film Festival in Brussels and was screened before every feature film on the festival for a day. It was my first public screening, and a very motivating moment for me.

My upcoming graduation film, FIELDS, is about capturing the feeling of an innocent, childhood friendship, told through nature’s ever-changing colours. It’s inspired by my belief that animation is a perfect medium to illustrate the beauty of both happy and sad moments in life.

If I had to pick a film that reflects my artistic view, it’d be Perfect Days by Wim Wenders... or maybe The Hobbit. Depends on the day!