Artist Cristi Lyon exhibited her work in March 2020.
Gallery 839 is a nonprofit gallery featuring art by members of the Animation Guild, IATSE, Local 839. Artists on exhibit are tried-and-true in their fields of animation and visual art, offering a unique merging of the Union and fine art worlds.
At this small gem in Burbank, the artwork is diverse and eclectic. The Animation Guild’s first gallery opened in 1962, and its current Gallery 839 launched in 2010. Over the years exhibitions have included media such as pottery, ceramics, bronze, poly resin, paint, pencil, glasswork ,and more.
The gallery is home to individual and group shows, and artists receive 90% of the commission from their sales. Better yet, the work is affordable. At monthly openings, the public can enjoy art and refreshments while mingling with the artists behind today’s popular movies and TV shows, as well as animation industry legends.
Current Exhibit
August
Beyond the Backgrounds – Interpreting the Real World and Beyond
Group Exhibition: Maryann Thomas, Cristy Maltese, and Anette Power
Opening Reception: Thursday, August 6, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Beyond the Backgrounds brings together three former animation Background Painters whose careers helped shape the visual worlds of Disney, Warner Bros., Nickelodeon, Sony, and other major studios. Featured artists Maryann Thomas, Cristy Maltese, and Anette Power present personal works that move beyond animation into fine art, exploring themes of light, memory, gratitude, storytelling, and everyday beauty.
For decades, the featured artists created the environments and visual worlds that support animated storytelling. This exhibition offers visitors an opportunity to experience the artists’ personal work beyond the screen and discover how their backgrounds in animation continue to influence their creative expression.
The exhibition features:
Maryann Thomas, an ArtCenter College of Design graduate with more than 40 years of experience as an illustrator, background artist, and art director. Her credits include Disney Feature Animation, DisneyToons, Warner Bros., Nickelodeon, Splash Entertainment, and numerous independent productions.
Cristy Maltese, an animation industry veteran whose career evolved from background painting to art direction and visual development. After years of collaborating with and supervising artists on major studio productions, her personal artwork now reflects themes of gratitude and appreciation for life’s blessings.
Anette Power, shaped by her upbringing in Sweden. Her work explores light, memory, and the relationship between realism and abstraction. Drawing from her experience as an animation Background Painter, she creates paintings and mixed-media works that celebrate the beauty found in everyday moments.