Creative talent runs in the Seymour family, as the public will discover when an exhibition of paintings by Al Seymour, Sr. and components of animated film making by his son, Al Jr., opens this evening in the Masterworks Foundation's Rose Gallery in the Botanical Gardens.

The joint show, entitled 'Seymour Art', marks a family first, although Mr. Seymour Sr. is no stranger to the local art scene, having exhibited at various galleries in the past. On this occasion, he will be showing oils, watercolours and charcoals.

While Mr. Seymour Jr. has not shown in galleries before, his work as the creator of animated television commercials and cartoons is well-known in other spheres. His film, 'Blue Manta', for example, was entered in the 2002 Bermuda International Film Festival, and his lizard cartoons, 'Raptiles on de Rock', were also very popular.

Both father and son have enjoyed preparing for the exhibition, and in fact the older Seymour had a hand in the creative process of some of his son's work — a custom which began in the latter's childhood.

"There was a movie camera around him from birth, and I exposed both he and his sister Lisa to home movies at a very early age. As a matter of fact, although her work is not in this show, my daughter is quite good at children's illustrations," the father says. "When Al was about eight, I made a short, animated clip using a little G.I. Joe toy he had. After that there was no stopping him, and he went on to make short films of his own while attending the Berkeley Institute. He loves the world of animation."

Agreeing, the younger Seymour says: "Most of my inspiration began when I was a toddler because my father was involved in art, television, radio and film-making, so our whole household revolved around art."

However, animation was always the young man's first love, so at college he focused on film-making and duly acquired his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

Noting that today's technology has greatly streamlined the work of animation film-makers, Mr. Seymour Jr. still recalls the excitement he felt when film came back from the lab and he saw images he had drawn now moving and talking.

"To see a year of your life go by in 18 minutes — that still gives me goose bumps," he says.

Describing his contribution to the joint exhibition, Mr. Seymour Jr. says, "All of the work I am displaying is taken from animated projects which I have done since 1999. This consists of painted animation cels (basically, acetate plastic sheets). They are all original production artwork, and drawings which were actually used to make cartoons or commercials, so they are one of a kind.

"I will also display storyboards from 'The Blue Manta', the animated film my father and I worked on together; and exposure sheets, which are a breakdown of the voice tracks, and how the drawings match the soundtrack."

Also included will be some digital renderings — basically prints made from several animated films and commercials which he has produced over the last eight years, as well as pencil sketches, finished animation line art, title cards and character model sheets.

Mr. Seymour Jr. has worked for the Bermuda Government for 21 years, and part time for ZFB and ZBM. Until recently he was with the Department of Communication and Information's photographic services, and is now programme manager for CITV Channel 2.

For Mr. Seymour Sr. art has also been an integral part of his life from his earliest days. As a young student at Central School (now Victor Scott) his talent was recognised, and every Christmas he was asked to draw Santa Claus and a Christmas tree in several classrooms. His books were also filled with sketches so teachers knew at a glance they were his.

Toward the end of the Second World War, when cereal boxes featured pictures of aircraft and ships, the elder Seymour became obsessed with drawing battleships and soldiers.

Later, he took art courses with American and British instructors, and had a cartoon published in Ebony magazine. In 2000 he won a 'Best of Bermuda' Gold Award for illustrations in the local documentary, 'Freedom Quest' based on slavery in Bermuda.

A man of many talents, who is also well known for his distinctive voice and style on radio and television, the elder Seymour says that in his younger days, while fine art "was always with him", he actually relished doing cartoons and animation. Today, however, fine art is his "true passion", and it is that which he will be exhibiting.

His paintings will include local scenes, flowers, and a landmark decaying building on the North Shore.

"I have always been moved by pictures that silently tell a story about life and so forth," is how he explains his work.

Following tonight's official opening at 5.30 p.m., the exhibition will continue until December 14.