Dave Hudson

Director, Create Taiwan

AniMissions School Leader

Dave graduated from California State University, Fullerton, with a BA in Art, and has been a professional illustrator for over 35 years. He and his wife, Wendy, joined Create International in 2008, and pioneered the School of Cartooning and Animation for Missions (SoCAM) in Thailand, in 2010. Since 2002, Dave has taught computer graphics in YWAM schools all over the globe, including the School of Illustration, School of Design, and the School of Digital Communications. His style runs the gamut between realistic technical drawing and whimsical cartoons, in both traditional media and digital art. He has also directed eight animated productions for unreached people groups in Asia.

Tod Polson

Animation Design

Tod Polson received both his BFA and MFA from The California Institute of the Arts (Cal/Arts) under scholarship from the Walt Disney Co. His student film, Al Tudi Tuhak, won many awards including the Student Oscar. Between degrees, Tod apprenticed under the Oscar winning team of Chuck Jones, and Maurice Noble. Tod has worked extensively as a director, designer, and teacher, helping develop a variety of projects all over the world. Some of these projects include the Emmy award-winning El Tigre for Nickelodeon, the Oscar-nominated feature The Secret of Kells, and the Golden Globe-nominated, The Book Of Life. His animation design book, The Noble Approach, Maurice Noble and the Zen of Animation was published by Chronicle Books LLC. Currently, Tod is developing projects big and small from Thailand.

Matthew Ullrey

3D Graphics and Animation

Matthew was raised in a military family moving every three to four years, and earned a bachelor’s degree in Studio Art from the University of South Carolina with a concentration in graphic design. After graduating from college, he discovered the Joy of Painting with Bob Ross. For many years he honed his painting skills and also received training in computer science. It all came together when he enrolled at Full Sail University in Florida where he continued his education in the field of Computer Animation. After earning a Bachelor of Science in Computer Animation, he is presently working on independent projects and tutoring art students. Matthew is also now an official Bob Ross Instructor who considers himself a “tradigital” artist. He teaches both 3D animation and Bob Ross oil painting (but not at the same time).

Hans Widmer

Sound Design

Hans has had a distinguished 32-year career as a research engineer with the Johns Hopkins University, specializing in underwater acoustics.  He and his wife, Shaina, have extensive cross-cultural experience through having adopted ten children from around the world.  Recently retired, Hans is looking to apply his professional skills and life experience to missions, in particular to producing evangelistic films and animations for cross-cultural audiences.  Hans and Shaina joined YWAM in 2019, and became part of Create Taiwan staff that same year.  Hans participated in the Frontier Film-Making Seminar in which the film, “The Book” was produced for the Inner Mongolians.