Jules Engel in his studio, 1949. Courtesy of Tobey C. Moss. Photo credit: Lou Jacobs Jr.

As a tribute to the legendary animator Jules Engel, who passed away on September 6, 2003, AWN has compiled thoughts from students and other professionals who the educator, artist and man influenced over the years. We begin with the eulogy his biographer Janeann Dill gave at his memorial and end with a touching remembrance from fellow CalArts faculty member Christopher Meeks.

His official obit can be read here.

Eulogy for Jules Engel
Memorial Service at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, Burbank, California September 13, 2003

As many of you know, I have been writing a biography on Jules for a while now, and I can tell you that placing this man’s life between two covers is an enormous and overwhelming task. As we’ve come together today to celebrate his life, I hope that I can bring to you some of what I’ve learned about this extraordinary man.

I would like to begin my eulogy with a note from Kathy Rose, one of Jules’ first students at CalArts who has carried on the tradition of artistic greatness in her own creativity. In 1972, Kathy threw the I Ching in — answer to the question: Who is Jules Engel? Here is what was thrown:

Nine in the fifth place means:
A melon covered with willow leaves.
Hidden lines.
Then it drops down to one from heaven.

The melon, like the fish, is a symbol of the principle of darkness. It is sweet but spoils easily and for this reason is protected with a cover of willow leaves. This is a situation in which a strong, superior, well-poised man tolerates and protects the inferiors in his charge. He has the firm lines of order and beauty within himself, but does not lay stress upon them. He does not bother his subordinates with outward show or tiresome admonitions, but leaves them quite free, putting his trust in the transforming power of a strong and upright personality. And behold! Fate is favorable. His inferiors respond to his influence and fall to his disposition like ripe fruit.

Some of Jules’ amazing work on Fantasia. © Walt Disney Pictures.

How apt is this description. Jules did protect his ‘subordinates’ (his mentees) and was a maestro of elegance as he modeled life for us all.

An extraordinary intelligence and a visionary artist, we are here today to remember Jules Engel: the man, the artist and the mentor.

“For the artist communication with nature remains the most essential condition. The artist is human; himself nature; part of nature within natural space.”

— from Paul Klee’s. Pedogigcal Notebook

Engel was a man fiercely committed to his art and fiercely disciplined in its practice. Jules created 33 personal films, produced 39 editions of lithographs, hundreds of paintings and sculptures since the late 1930s, and dedicated over 30 years of his life to teaching/mentorship at CalArts.

In 1945, Hazel Guggenheim (of the art patronage family) arranged for his first exhibition at the Frederick Kahn Gallery in Los Angeles. Engel and Guggenheim were visiting the gallery when Ms. Guggenheim said to Kahn that he should give Jules an exhibition. Surprised by the suggestion, Engel agreed to have an exhibition if Kahn would agree not to sell anything. You see, Engel felt that his work was not ready to sell yet. “Naturally,” Engel said to me, “the first man to come into the gallery when the show opened wanted to buy one!” Laughing that delightful laugh of his, Jules told the story that Kahn honored his request and refused to sell the work. This story tells us volumes about the man.