Though retired, Mike Glad takes an active role in his community, alongside the Glad Family Trust. Over the years, he has become a critical humanitarian who has donated much of his goodwill and income to various groups. For example, he recently helped set up the Icons of American Animation Exhibition, transforming the nation’s understanding of this vital native artform.

Mike Glad Celebrates the Icons of American Animation Exhibition

Animation has inspired and intrigued Mike Glad for many years. The Glad Family Trust has carefully collected many animation artworks over the years, including various pictures, cells, and storyboards from many animation companies. These include Disney, Warner Brothers, and many other important groups that transformed this artistic field and turned it into what it is today.

This exhibition was initially selected for January 2021 but had to be rescheduled for 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will take place at McDaniel College and Carroll County Arts Counsel in Westminster, MD. These two facilities are less than one-half of a mile from each other and include various unique facilities that will make this exhibition successful and engaging for many people.

For instance, Mike Glad and his trust have collected over 150 different art pieces over the years, focusing on essential artists and animal companies. This artwork not only includes the original, hand-drawn cells but also includes musical sheets that were used to score each cartoon. The detail that went into each of these cartoons is fascinating and reveals an art that is only now being taken seriously.

Throughout this exhibition, the artwork will be discussed by professionals who fully understand its cultural importance and why it matters to the country. Just as importantly, it will discuss the many men and women who transformed this field. While Walt Disney’s name is well known, his many animators, writers, and composers haven’t gotten the kind of acclaim as their visionary boss.

Throughout the exhibition, viewers will learn how animation changed the entertainment field and the movie industry forever. They’ll also learn about the techniques required for animation, including the challenging process of copying cells and flipping through them quickly in front of a camera. The heady amount of focus and attention that goes into cartoons will be revealed in full detail.

And Mike Glad and his trust have also created a variety of special talks and events that will help make this series more enjoyable. For instance, there will be gallery talks throughout January and February from specialists in this field. And Oscar-nominated shorts will also be screened throughout February, alongside other animated film series that will make this event memorable for years to come.