FIT Institutional Repository

Title

Flock

Contributor Names

Pitkoff, Chloe Elizabeth (Creator, Illustrator)

Leach, Brendan (Thesis advisor)

Miller, Anelle (Thesis advisor)

Dittrich, Dennis (Thesis advisor)

Smith, Ryan (Thesis advisor)

Date

2025

Description

Flock is an experimental animation accompanied by an original composed soundtrack and voice-over narration. Originally proposed as a children’s book set to motion, the illustration aesthetics and animation techniques display a childlike whimsy that correspond with the dreamlike narrative, which explores overarching themes of grief and resilience.

A girl and her grandmother spend their days together feeding birds, plane watching, enjoying sharing stories in their home. The girl awakes one night to find a bird in place of her grandmother. They grow and learn together until the bird flies away, unannounced. The girl waits for her friend’s return at first, but soon decides to go searching for the bird through flights of her own, living a full and adventurous life along the way. All the while, the bird has been secretly watching over her, and at long last, after the girl has lived a long and fulfilling life, the bird reveals itself to her. The pair fly away together.

Based on experience working for and learning from artist Audrey Flack (1931-2024).

Artist Statement:

Flock explores the evolution of grief and the enduring memories of those we have lost. It is inspired by my friend, co-student, collaborator, and former boss, Audrey Flack.

For 11 months, I spent time with Audrey, showing up at 12:30 with Zabar’s onion rolls for all who passed her apartment threshold, gallery hopping with her friends and family, sketching beside her at the Art Students League, writing emails, painting, sculpting, planning events, learning ukulele, crying through tumultuous times, and sharing an “I love you” after standing at the door for 20 minutes for one last conversation before tomorrow.

On June 28, 2024, Audrey died. Despite her 93 years, no one, except for probably Audrey, expected it was coming. And then suddenly, she was gone. I was left with an overwhelming grief unlike any other I had ever experienced.

A month later, with the beginning of the semester and the requirement to embark on a self-chosen thesis project, I began to both process my own grief and figure out a proper way to honor our relationship and connection: a children’s book-esque story (a familiar format), turned long-form animation (a new endeavor).

The narrative follows a main character who is interested in birds and adventure (as Audrey was), and as a result, flight. Her adventure has a mission: to search for a bird she befriended that flew away early on in her life, following the loss of her grandmother.

Slowly, I realized that my typical approach to materials (heavily layered mixed-media collage) and visual language (maximalist realism) were an imperfect fit for how I was feeling and what I sought to communicate: not confining the narrative to one personal relationship, but conveying the universal experience of coping with loss and what you do with who you are when grief has flown away.

The eventual answer, to my surprise, proved to be rooted in pen and paper and a minimalist aesthetic. This streamlined approach enabled me to render my characters and their journey at a pace that was in line with both my own evolving stages of grief and the excitement I found in getting the story out of my head and into motion. It was a totally new process of making finalized work for me, and I was shocked along the way by how much could be captured with limited linework, the newfound time I had to do more, and how the characters and medium could allow for such clear, honest, and universal expression. Eventually, the rainbow color palette of my typical work crept in, but the whimsical penned-line remained collaged on top of it all, combining aesthetics to create something new.

Beyond the challenge of establishing an appropriate visual direction, my thesis provided an opportunity to explore animation at a level I have never attempted, as well as collaboration with musicians. Embracing these new media and collaborative processes feel representative of Audrey, but it is my hope that they also create a story that anyone can see themselves in, knowing that in grieving we are never really alone.

This project is for all those who have grieved. But mostly, it’s for Audrey. I dedicate this project, a collection of new beginnings that came from an end, to her.

Chloe Pitkoff (FIT MFA Illustration ‘25, BA Studio Art Davidson College ‘21) is a multimedia illustrator born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, where she is still based. Chloe works in a variety of disciplines, including children’s book illustration, publishing, mural production, experimental motion, fine art painting, and sculpture. When she’s not working in the art world, Chloe is a jazz singer, Wrangler for the Children’s Chorus at the Metropolitan Opera, Livestream Producer and Director for multiple organizations, including St. Bartholomew’s Church, and Studio Manager for the Audrey Flack Estate. She loves to travel the world and learn about art and music everywhere she goes.

Type

Still Image

Animations (visual works)

Medium/Materials/Techniques

Hand-drawn, digitally collaged animation frames created with pen, colored pencil, watercolor, marker, animated in Adobe Photoshop, After Effects and Premiere.

Medium (Terms)

Pens (drawing and writing implements)

Colored pencils

Watercolor (paint)

Markers (drawing instruments)

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe After Effects

Adobe Premiere

Program/Course/Exhibition Information

Creation Date: 6/09/25

Program/Degree: Illustration MFA

Semester: Spring 2025

Professors: Brendan Leach; Anelle Miller; Dennis Dittrich; Ryan Smith

In Exhibition

Syndicate XVI: Class of 2025 Visual Thesis Exhibition

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Website

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Rights

In Copyright

The copyright for this work is held by its author/creator(s). Usage of this material beyond what is permitted by copyright law must first be cleared with the rights-holder(s). This work has been made available online by the Fashion Institute of Technology Gladys Marcus Library strictly for research and educational purposes. If you are the copyright holder for this work and have any objections to this work being made available online, please notify us immediately at [email protected].

Identifier

FIT Repository ID: il_mfa_000010