This idea also provided me with the perfect way to weave a phoenix into our world. Which was something I had been trying to figure out how to do for a long time. The symbolism of a phoenix is something that I resonate with very strongly, and it is also an important part of the story of Ayane Studios.

The phoenix is a symbol of renewal, transformation, triumph over adversity and the strength to start anew. This is pertinent to me because to date I have experienced five burnouts. Each time, I have had to find a way to put myself back together from the ashes and reinvent myself. With each reinvention I feel like I have got closer to the real version of me —to my inner flame. 

It was in the wake of my 2018 burnout that the first embers of my long held secret dream of being an artist and animator began to rekindle. This is why I designed a phoenix for our logo. It is also why it was so important to me to have a phoenix in our first animation.