An Inspired Chat with Pilar Newton of Brooklyn

We recently had the chance to connect with Pilar Newton and have shared our conversation below.

Good morning Pilar, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
I discovered opera almost three years ago—relatively recently—and I became totally obsessed. on average I’m at New York’s Metropolitan Opera House 1 or 2 times a week. I’m there so often that even the people that work there think I work there! Opera transports me and I am so passionate about it now. I just feel the need to be around it.
I plan to do a film about my passion for opera soon.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Pilar Newton. I am an animator, illustrator, and educator. I’ve been doing animation and illustration for almost 30 years. Over the last three years, with my company, PilarToons LLC, I have focused on my independent films and fine art-inspired illustration work. I’m especially proud of my short animated mini doc “Last Class”—a 2.5-minute film that captures the moment I learned we were going into Covid lockdown. It’s been making the film festival rounds and has received some powerful responses from viewers who found it relatable and reminded them of their own story. In the film I end with a hint of hope. Hope that never died even during the darkest of times. At the heart of all my work is a sense of hope, something I strive to communicate every time I create.
I’m finishing up another short film right now called “Don’t Slow Down”. It’s a metaphor for what happens when one stops. I kind of like to call it my post-apocalyptic abstract film. I’m excited to share it with the world!
I am also going to start working on my opera film.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
The relationship that has most shaped how I see myself is my relationship with my Mom. As a child, whenever I was feeling insecure or down my mom would make me stop what I was doing and say, “Who do you love?” I’d answer, “Me!” And she’d say it again until I responded with confidence. Her support – then and now- makes me feel like I could conquer the world. That sense of positive optimism—grounded in love—has carried me through just about everything. Even when I need reminders, I know my core resilience and optimism comes from her.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
I once worked on a well-known TV show and was fired on Christmas Eve for no good reason.
At the time, it felt devastating. But decades later, I barely remember the finer details of the job or the supervisor that let me go. Life moves on. In fact, just an hour after being fired, I was offered another job—right in the same building in a different department. I share this story when I speak to students to remind them: even when it feels like the world is ending, keep going. Don’t give up. What seems catastrophic now will one day be just a faint memory on your path to better things.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
One of my recent passions is making opera more accessible. Many people tell me they avoid going to opera because they “don’t have the right outfit.” I’ve made it my mission to break that myth. While dressing up can be fun, it’s not required. What matters to the people in the opera house: The singers, composers, scenic artists, ushers, etc… is bringing people into the opera house! I designed a T-shirt that is available in my shop that says, “This Is My Opera Outfit,” and I wear it with jeans and sneakers. At the opera people in evening gowns and pearls and tuxedos stop me all the time telling me they love my shirt and the message. And the positive responses make me believe that, in a small way, I’m helping open the world of opera to everyone.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
With my company PilarToons, I have built a continually growing client base and I have worked with incredible companies such as Sesame Workshop and Viacom. While I was honored to have these opportunities, I realized that true happiness comes when I’m working on my own vision—my independent films and personal projects. Nothing brings me more joy than bringing my own ideas to life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.Pilartoons.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pilartoons/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pilartoons/
• Twitter: https://x.com/pilartoons

Image Credits
I Pilar Newton have created all of the images