Thoughtful3D

The 3D industry is struggling

What if you could...

Hi, I'm Conor 👋

I help artists recognize their power, then use it.

I have been a professional artist for nearly 20 years, going from freelance, to studios, to owning my own agencies. I have worked on many projects for clients like

  • Mozilla
  • Dreamworks
  • Nickelodeon
  • Burning Man Project
  • Independent Artist's Market
  • and many more

After years of creating, across dozens of types of media, I have developed a code of creative principles that I use to make the deeply fulfilling work that attracts opportunities. My entire life I have been organizing, supporting and activating artists to do the same. My biggest creative ambition is to help artists make the work that comes from their soul, so they can live with stability, clarity, purpose, and financial freedom.

And I'm Mike!

But my friends know me as Cash.

I have 15 years of experience working in feature animation, vfx, and television for various studios including

  • Pixar
  • Animal Logic (Netflix)
  • Sony Imageworks
  • Cinesite
  • and many more

Great stories are made with consideration, teamwork, and passion. I have been a mentor of developing artists for the past few years and my most recent mentee landed the 2024 Pixar Undergraduate summer internship. I am so proud of her.

I really look forward to supporting my next mentees.

Our Process

01 Discovery Call

A super quick chat to learn about you and your career, the reason why you got into the 3D industry, what you are trying to make happen and the obstacles in your way. If there's something meaningful we can help with, we'll book a strategy session.

02 Strategy Session

Now we go deep. We design your custom built roadmap together. The result is a 50,000ft view of where you are and where you want to go, that is totally unafraid to go into the details.

03 Implementation

Calls, community, projects, feedback, accountability, mindset, negotiations, energy, vision, production, distribution, contracts, seniority, leadership. We work closely together to take it from idea to reality.

Let's get started!

We can book the discovery call together using this calendar. The point of this free 15 minute call is to figure out if it's a good fit to work together.

Artists that work with us say

The mentorship gave me what I didn't know I needed. It challenged me in a critical thinking way. If anyone is looking to grow as an artist, this group is able to really make you flex your creative muscles. I have enjoyed my time with some amazing artists from all types of backgrounds and experience levels. I have been able to see great strides in my art, passion and overall creative process!
Tyler Halterman
Principal 3D artist
Cash is a mentor who really is willing to take the time to help with a mentee's career and personal growth. He is a person who is really personable and comfortable to be around with and talk to. As a mentee, I would describe his mentoring style as giving great guidance while encouraging independence.  I really appreciate that I'm not being told how to do things step by step and just follow it. But rather being given a clear picture of where I can go from my current position, such as my art and my confidence. Then do the work independently. This way it actually helps me to take in the stuff I learn.
Quinzel Huang
Intern at Pixar
Thoughtful3D provides incredible mentorship. It gives professional and technical advice and connects you with a community of 3D artists. This mentorship is all about building a lasting career and achieving life goals through art. I highly recommend it and the supportive community that comes with it!
Sonia Gutierrez
Stylized 3D artist
Conor’s supportive personality and willingness to teach has been a constant source of motivation and inspiration to all of his students. His extensive artistic background and understanding of the industry has allowed him to provide students with realistic solutions and critiques to tackle any project. Conor’s personalized approach to each student with his lectures have been eye-opening and gives the students confidence and direction to continue working towards their dream; something that isn’t provided by any other school.
Desmond Chan
3D Generalist
Cash champions those around him and it should not be underestimated how impactful that is to a team. Cash made us all better and more connected and I think any team that takes him in is so lucky to have a person like that. At Pixar, he led a number of initiatives that have helped the team become closer and more knowledgeable. He is constantly trying to make everyone feel good and be heard. He knows that we all have our strengths and he tries to get us to share that with the team. Many times companies undervalue those kinds of skills but I want to say that Cash is a shining example of why these skills are absolutely necessary in any organization.”
Christos Tzeremes
Senior Lighting Technical Director
Pixar Animation Studios
Having Conor as an instructor has been a life changer. He is incredibly knowledgeable and well-versed in the science, theory, techniques, and pipelines behind 3D art and its programs. He is also conveys that information to his students in a clear and concise manner.
He has an impressive ability to troubleshoot and problem solve any technical issue that arises on the spot. In addition to his expertise, he has been a source of motivation to his students. He really has gone above and beyond. We are incredibly grateful to learn from him.
Kailyn Beecher
Character Artist
Electronic Arts
Conor is an excellent instructor. He is encouraging, empathetic, and a fountain of knowledge. I found meeting up for the zoom calls each week uplifting and I found the confidence in myself grow as he helped me through resume polishing and portfolio creation that allowed me to show off my work to it's best. And that work paid off. I thank Conor, and the other members I learned with for helping me believe I could do it. I owe a lot to Thoughtful3D, both mentally and artistically. Thank you!
Kate Elliott-Jones
3D artist
Conor is an EXTREMELY helpful human. He is very approachable and down to earth. I really appreciate that he is very straight with people and doesn’t bullshit or waste people’s time (but he doesn’t do this in a cruel way). He is also very patient and wants to make sure that everyone understands what he is saying. I am so grateful for his guidance!
Rebecca Toderian
3D Modeler and Texture Artist
Cash is an excellent mentor and collaborator. He helped me navigate studio pipelines, software, and provided guidance for career growth. His experience, patience, and encouragement helped me find my footing in the industry. Plus, he always has the best stories and music to share!
Eileen Peng
Senior Lighter
Walt Disney Animation Studios