The professional journey for Love Barnett started at the age of 17. She created her own casting agency, Much Love Productions, where she worked on videos and booked dancers for major artists and tours. Her passion for entertainment also led her to opportunities in front of the camera. From performing in iconic music videos for Ye West and Tupac to accepting a position as an automotive columnist, Barnett’s career path developed into something much greater after she took her talents to the virtual world.
Barnett co-founded Martian Blueberry, a company that offers full-service animation capabilities, specializing in high-end 2D/3D animation, visual effects, and design. The company has already helped high-end talents like Megan Thee Stallion, Major League Baseball, and several NFT and advertising companies bring their visual ideas to life.
How have you prevailed as a Black woman pioneer in the animation industry?
I started as a huge gamer; being an only child and an introvert, it became my life and passion. I only once thought I could have a carer in it once I started working in fine art at the Art Academy in San Francisco. I realized there was a niche to fill and started a life drawing course online for those who could not attend a physical school. I taught myself how to code and how to make images turn so it wasn’t 2D image. I was exposed to many opportunities just being creative and realized there was space for me.
Where does the name Martian Blueberry come from?
We were first called Black Elephant Animation and realized it didn’t fit, so we went with Martian Blueberry. Carl, my partner, is like an alien to me and one of a kind. It was our way of saying strange fruit; this is how we represent ourselves.
If you could thank any Black woman for her contributions, who would it be?
The first person that comes to mind is Jackie Ormes, the first Black woman cartoonist. She created a comic strip in the Chicago Defender and spoke on social justice for African Americans. It should be talked about more, but we are all superheroes. There are so many in the industry, like Cree Summers, who voices over so many Black characters who was an actor and went into animation and deserves her flowers as well.
