One Voice Among the Infinite Dialects of the Language of Art

For as long as I can remember, art has been my favorite language, the way to explore the world and connect with others.

Whether through a single brushstroke or the rhythm of a storyboard, I’ve always been drawn to the emotional heart of a story. During my career in animation, I’ve had the privilege of contributing to many animated films that reached global audiences, stories that made people laugh, cry, and see themselves in new ways. That collaborative journey in animation taught me how powerful visual storytelling can be, and how deeply it resonates across cultures and generations.

Painting, for me, is a quieter, more intimate extension of that same impulse. It’s where I return to stillness, to reflect, and to reconnect with the source of my creative voice. While animation brings characters and worlds to life in motion, painting allows me to sit with a single moment, to hold it, question it, and let it unfold in its own time.

Both mediums, in their own way, are about finding meaning in fleeting experiences and giving form to feelings we don’t always have words for.

What continues to surprise and move me is how deeply personal work, something born from my own experience, can resonate with others. That’s where the real magic is. Art carries a story. It becomes the bridge between two minds, two hearts, sometimes between many. And when someone connects with my work, it reminds me that we all speak the same emotional language, just in different dialects. My creative voice is just one dialect among a myriad of others in this universal language.

Each of us carries our own story, shaped by our experiences. When we create, we give those experiences form. Whether it’s on canvas, in a character’s eyes, or in the dynamic of a storyboard, we are searching not just for meaning but for connection.

That connection is the real reward!

Serguei Kouchnerov is a Belarusian-born Ukrainian animator, director, and story artist whose career bridges Eastern European Animation and the world of Hollywood.

He began his creative journey at the Kyivnaukfilm Animation studio in Kyiv, Ukraine.

In 1992, he won the Walt Disney International Talent Search Competition - an opportunity that brought him to the United States to join Walt Disney Animation Studios. There, he worked as a characted animator and designer on Fatasia 2000. This moment marked a turning point in his career, leading to decades of work at the major Hollywood animation studios.

At DreamWorks Animation, Serguei served as a Supervising Animator and Storyboard Artist on films such as The Prince of Egypt, The Road to El Dorado, Shrek 2, Bee Movie, Over the Hedge, and Madagascar. Later, at Illumination Entertainment, he contributed to The Secret Life of Pets, Despicable Me 3, Minions, Minions: The Rise of Gru, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

He has also directed several animated shorts, including The Hybrid Union (2010) and Yellow Is the New Black (2018).

His work often reflects a blend of visual styles. A long-standing interest in abstract painting influences both his studio work and personal projects.