Merritt F. Andrews, Key Assistant Animator
Merritt was born and raised in Salisbury, MD with aspirations of becoming a non-starving artist. After graduating from Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota, FL in 1992, she interned with Walt Disney Feature Animation Florida. Maybe it was her barking ability, her drawing ability or perhaps her Oreo Cookie Pie recipe (Merritt's pretty sure it is the latter) but she was hired on full-time 6 months later.
During her 10 ½ years with the company, Merritt worked on The Lion King, Pocahontas, Mulan, Tarzan, Lilo and Stitch and Brother Bear. She had the privilege of working with the best talent in the industry, including her supervisor Darth Vad..er...I mean, Dan Gracey, and the dynamic duo, Chad Thompson and Lisa Lanyon just to name a few.
When Disney closed their doors in March 2004, Merritt, who liked to eat and needed money for food, went to work with fellow Disney friends at Project Firefly Animation Studio. While there she worked on the award-winning TV pilot, Farm Force, and Universal Pictures' Curious George feature film. After "monkeying" around, Merritt got the call from Cecropia to come and work with Dan Gracey, Chad Thompson and Lisa Lanyon and make Oreo Cookie Pie on a weekly basis. And the rest is history.
Merritt's likes: 1. Eating 2. Making fun of friends in Photoshop 3. Drawing 4. Bible Study Fellowship 5. Being the center of the universe (Dan G. told me to write that)
Merritt's dislikes: 1. Not eating 2. Hurricanes 3. Chad Thompson taking her roommate, Desma, away from her 4. People who do not realize she is the center of the universe 5. Paris Hilton and Tom Cruise