Jozef Szekeres (born 4 July 1970) is an Australian artist, animator, writer, toy designer, sculptor, creative director, arts lecturer, and a director of the Black Mermaid Productions creative team based in Australia. He is best known for his doll creation Elizabet Bizelle, launched through his company Jozef Szekeres Dolls in 2003. He was a finalist in the 2011 Australian Cartoonist Association Stanley Awards, with nominations for Best Australian Illustrator and Australian Comic Book Artist.[1]

He co-created and illustrated the comic book series ElfQuest – WaveDancers circa 1993–94, and is currently in production of a new comic book series called Elf-Fin: Hyfus & Tilaweed in collaboration with co-creator Julie Ditrich, using the original characters and concepts they created for the previous series. A preview was released in April 2011, with a later edition released in May 2013.[2][3][4]

Early life

Szekeres was born in Blacktown, Sydney, and grew up near Gosford on the Central Coast of New South Wales, graduating in 1988 from the Central Coast Grammar School in Erina, Central Coast. He attended the Sydney Conservatorium of Music in the Music Composition School but did not graduate.

In 1989, he moved to the Sydney central business district to work at the Walt Disney Animation Australia Studio, now known as DisneyToon Studios, and was the youngest animator employed there at that time.

Career

As a freelance 2D animator and Animation Director, he created television commercials for both Australian and international markets, most notably Finlandia Vodka Pulp,[5] Mr Sheen, Strongbow Cider Cyborg and Blowtorch, Cafe with Billy for Nescafe, The Fifth Finger for KitKat, and FantasticRiceCrackers for Fantastic.[6]

Comic books

Szekeres left Walt Disney Animation Australia in 1993 to illustrate the comic book series ElfQuest – WaveDancers,[7][8][9] which he co-created with Julie Ditrich and Bruce Love.

Szekeres returned to Sirius Entertainment in 1999 to work with Joseph Michael Linsner and his Dawn character, and created new mermaid representations of the Goddess character for two publications, Dreams of Dawn Wizard #1/2, and Dawn: Return of the Goddess #3.[10]

Szekeres returned to work with Julie Ditrich on Elf-Fin: Hyfus & Tilaweed,[11] first published in 2011.

Illustration

Szekeres's illustration works have been collected several times in books, magazines, and journals, highlights being Stripped Uncensored and Completely Stripped published 2009 and 2010 respectively in Germany by Bruno Gmünder.[12][13][14] Szekeres also got featured in leading campaigns, such as the 2007 Sydney Mardi Gras,[15][16] and 2008 Sleaze Ball (which is also part of the Sydney Mardi Gras). For the 2008 Sleaze Ball, titled Villains Lair, a collector card set consisting of 16 of Szekeres's villainous artworks created specifically for the event were released for members and partygoers. Szekeres released his own collector card set (or loose leaf book) The Art of Jozef Szekeres: Mermaids & Mermers[17] in 2008 collecting 100 artworks. They range from unpublished pieces early in his career to his most recent published works of that time.

Sculptor and toy designer

Szekeres has had a fascination with figural sculpture from childhood.[18] Early in his career he sculpted maquettes for Disney's Aladdin and Jasmine, Dylandra, and adult Wendy. Szekeres further explored sculpture adding new sculptural elements to Barbie and G.I. Joe purchased toy parts.[19]

In 2003, Szekeres released his first fashion character/doll Elizabet Bizelle (with sister character Kotalin Bizelle) titled Dangerous Discovery, the first Australian created fashion doll.[20]

In 2006, Szekeres released his doll editions Elizabet Bizelle Lady in Red, and Kotalin Bizelle Birthday Bash.[21][22][23]

In November 2020, Szekeres released his GlamourOZ Dolls Collection of 10 editions.[24] It reintroduced his new sculpts of original caucasian characters Kotalin & Elizabet Bizelle. It also now includes two new characters, Asian Lucielle Lei and Indigenous Australian Bindi Merinda (which reflects Australia's cultural diversity). The Kotalin Bizelle doll "Ribbon Reveal" was the recipient of the 2020 DOLLS Award of Excellence Industry Choice Winner.[25] Ten editions were released. Eight titled mainline editions were released, each edition numbering 375. Two variant editions each numbering 100, featuring hair colour variations.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Awards". Australian Cartoonists Association.
  2. ↑ Julie Ditrich; Jozef Szekeres (November 2011). Elf~Fin : Hyfus & Tilaweed : preview / story by Julie Ditrich & Jozef Szekeres (World Mermaid Awards Limited ed.). Sydney NSW: Black Mermaid Productions. p. 38. ISBN 978-0-9808759-1-1.
  3. ↑ Australian Society of Authors. "Comics / Graphic Novels Mission Statement".
  4. ↑ "Elf-Fin: Hyfus & Tilaweed #1 – Elf-Fin: Hyfus & Tilaweed (Issue)".
  5. ↑ "SHOTS". Advertising and Creative Worldwide. Scandinavian Selection (48): 3. September 1998. 16. FINLANDIA PULP VODKA: 'GOODBAR'. Agency:Desire Brand Management, Sydney. Creative Team: Paul Roberts, Jason Brooks, Mel Carr, Cath Caines. Directors: Don Ezard (Director of Live and Effects Animation), Jozef Szekeres (Director of Animation), Fabio Nardo (Director of Backgrounds). Production Company: Film Graphics, Sydney. Producer: Juke Lengell. Animator: Jozef Szekeres. Music: Supersonic, Sydney.
  6. ↑ "Australian Creative". Animation: MUDFISH, the Animation Company. Spring: 34. 1999.
  7. ↑ Greg McElhatton (March 1994). "The Never-ending Quest". WIZARD. USA (#31): 82–86.
  8. ↑ Drew Bittner (22 June 1993). "New Elves For Old". Comics Scene. USA: Norman Jacobs (#36).
  9. ↑ Steve Darnall (July 1994). "ElfQuest: WaveDancers #4". Hero Illustrated (13): 30.
  10. ↑ Bud Plant (1999). "DAWN: Return of the Goddess #3". Bud Plant Comic Art (Comic Art & Illustrated Books). Bud Plant: 151.
  11. ↑ Jules Faber (2011). "Reviews". Inkspots. Autumn (65): 1.
  12. ↑ Stephan Niederwieser, ed. (2009). Stripped Uncensored (1st ed.). Germany: Bruno Gmunder. pp. 246–249. ISBN 978-3-86787-025-2.
  13. ↑ Jozef Szekeres (March 2009). "Jozef Szekeres Gallery". Heavy Metal. USA: 11–14.
  14. ↑ Myles Wearring; Jonathan Turner; Joe E Jeffreys; Dean Durber; Jonathan Andrews (January 2007). "Text Appeal". BLUE (66): 50–64.
  15. ↑ Leigh Harris (2007). "Mardi Gras Parade & Party Guide '07". Bent. Onion Publishing and Media Pty Ltd. Mardi Gras 2007.
  16. ↑ Barry Lowe (7 February 2008). "Drawing attention". SX. Peter Walton (367): 46. He's the man who created the poster for last year's Mardi Gras, a giant career leap...
  17. ↑ Krathyn White (2008). Harris, Leigh (ed.). Sleaze Ball 2008. Onion Publishing and Media Pty Ltd: 42, 43. Mardi Gras poster artist Jozef Szekeres has been keeping art collectors happy with his first ever collection of his artworks in print. The Art of Jozef Szekeres: Mermaids & Other Mermers is a 100-piece card set of his artwork ranging from unpublished pieces early in Jozef's career to his most recent published work. {{cite journal}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  18. ↑ Margot Date; Johanna Sweet (24 July 1995). "Guys who love a good Barbie". New Week: 80. (Jozef) collected Barbie dolls until he turned 13... Most Barbie collectors don't like it because she's not true to the doll. The porcelain version is 5 cm taller than the regular doll. But if you strip them down, they're finely sculpted.
  19. ↑ Jim Farone (1998). 2nd Fashion Doll Makeovers: Learn from the Artists. USA: Hobby House Press, Inc. pp. 80–81. ISBN 0-87588-515-2. I fell in love with the ""Barbie"" doll and started collecting her at a very early age. Yet, at the same time I felt a great need to modify her to my own (artistic) needs and desires... My long term goal is to have my own line of fantasy dolls.
  20. ↑ Penny Azar (2003). "The LizBiz". FDQ: Fashion Doll Quarterly. USA: Pat Henry. Beauty: 53–55. Just owning a doll wasn't enough for Jozef, there were bits and pieces of various dolls that he liked, just that not all dolls had good features... (he) set out on his adventure to make what for him, would be the doll he'd like the most.
  21. ↑ Pat Henry (2005). "The Insider: The LizBiz". FDQ:Fashion Doll Quarterly. Pat Henry. Brides: 30–31. Jozef Szekeres hits the shore of the US, and brings with him the new line of dangerously curvy girls with guns.
  22. ↑ DOLLS (November 2006). "Fresh Faces: Jozef Szekeres". DOLLS. USA: Jones Publishing: 16.
  23. ↑ Pat Henry (2007). "Around The World in Eighty Days". FDQ: Fashion Doll Quarterly. USA: Pat Henry (Icons): 34–36. Jozef Szekeres new Kotalin and Elizabet Bizelle dolls make an appearance at Dollz in Oz, in "Birthday Bash" and "Lady in Red". Jozef has updated the dolls with vinyl arms that pop out to change the dolls pose and allow a stance with hands on the hip for that certain spy-like swagger!
  24. ↑ "Fashion dolls become big business". Central Coast News. 4 March 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  25. ↑ "2020 Dolls Awards of Excellence Industry's Choice Winners Announced". DOLLS magazine. 11 June 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
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