The “By Our Love” animated music video is the product of hours of collaboration by a diverse team of Fine Arts faculty, students and staff from the University of Connecticut. Each team member contributed a wealth of experience, unique perspectives and assiduously-honed artistic skills. Biographical highlights are outlined below.
Cora Lynn Deibler
Creative Director
Cora Lynn Deibler is an illustrator specializing primarily in editorial and children’s illustration. Clients have included; The New York Times, The Washington Post, Spider, Cricket, Ladybug, The Oxford University Press, Scholastic publishing, and Agence France-Presse, among others. Awards have included How magazine, the Print Regional Annual, RSVP, and The New York State Press Association. Her work has appeared in exhibitions at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA, and the Society of Illustrators Museum of American Illustration in New York City, venues showcasing the best in visual narrative work. She is currently creating her first graphic novel. Cora Lynn is a member of the Society of Illustrators and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and currently serves on the Low Illustration Committee at the New Britain Museum of American Art in New Britain, CT. For more information about Cora Lynn, visit C. L. Deibler Studio.
Earl MacDonald
Music Director and Arranger
Described as “a magical, musical alchemist of hip hybrids” (Owen McNally, Hartford Courant), Earl MacDonald has released five albums as a bandleader, earning him multiple Independent Music Awards and JUNO award nominations. The former pianist/Musical Director for Maynard Ferguson now serves as Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Connecticut. Artistically, he hopes to continue the long, impactful tradition of political and social activism that jazz music and its musicians have created. Earl MacDonald’s studio-produced album, “Consecrated,” on which “By Our Love” appears, was released on June 4, 2021. Visit earlmacdonald.com for more information.
Hal Tedeschi
Illustrator
Hal is an illustrator with a passion for character design and children’s book illustration. He received his BFA in Art with an Illustration/Animation concentration from the University of Connecticut in spring of 2020. Although his medium of choice is watercolor painting, he also enjoys digital art and design. In addition to illustrating the By Our Love animated music project, he works as a freelance artist. Hal’s work is exhibited online at: https://www.haltedeschi.com
Miles Waterbury
Animator
Miles Waterbury is a Digital Media and Design major, pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a concentration in 3D Animation. In his studies and professional development, Miles also explores 2D animation, film and video production. Outside of his major, his passion for music is satisfied through involvement with the UConn Marching Band. Miles is gaining skills and experiences leading toward a career in the entertainment business, fusing his knowledge of modern technology and his passion for the arts.
Carly Wanner-Hyde
Animator
Carly is a senior at UConn, pursuing a BFA in Digital Media and Design with a concentration in 3D Animation. She is passionate about using her creative platform to amplify the voices and experiences of others through storytelling. Carly finds that using art as a vehicle to jump-start social change can greatly benefit our current social climate. She is incredibly excited to be a part of “By Our Love.” View samples of Carly’s work at her website, https://carlywannerhyde.com.
Brooke Foti Gemmell
Producer
Brooke Foti Gemmell is a Design Technologist at Greenhouse Studios, an interdisciplinary research unit which aims to reframe the workflows of collaborative scholarly production. With a background in visual arts and design, Brooke is a creative producer and visual problem solver on Greenhouse Studios projects, and also works on the branding and outreach of Greenhouse Studios at large. She holds a B.F.A in Studio Arts and is an M.A. candidate in Digital Media & Design at the University of Connecticut. Her areas of specialty include communications design, branding, photography, and book arts.
Tom Lee
Producer
Tom Lee is a Greenhouse Studios staff member, serving as a Design Technologist. He has worked on a range of innovative interactive digital projects including motion-tracked digital play installations, AR/VR experiences, tabletop games, video games and web apps. Tom draws on a breadth of experience in music, engineering and design to generate and apply creative approaches to the domain of scholarly communications. He is a three-time graduate of the University of Connecticut holding a BA in Music, BS in Computer Science & Engineering, and an MFA in Digital Media & Design.
Musicians:
Karly Epp – vocals
Kris Allen – alto, tenor & bari saxophones
David Smith – trumpet
Alex Gertner – French horn
Sean Nelson – bass trombone
Earl MacDonald – piano
Karl Kohut – string bass
Rogerio Boccato – drums, percussion
Audio Engineer:
Peter Kontrimas, PBS Studios
Audio Mastering:
Greg Calbi, Sterling Sound