Anaplastology
Anaplastology is a specialized field that combines art and anatomy that focuses on the creation of prosthetic devices. These devices not only restore physical appearance but also play a critical role in improving emotional well-being, self-esteem and quality of life.
The field often involves collaboration with surgeons, oncologists, ocularists and other health care providers to provide comprehensive care tailored to each patient's unique needs.
The field often involves collaboration with surgeons, oncologists, ocularists and other health care providers to provide comprehensive care tailored to each patient's unique needs.
Meet our anaplastologists
Ann McLaren
Ann McLaren is a anaplastologist based out of Vancouver B.C. She specializes in highly realistic facial prosthetics.
Ann studied figurative sculpture at Emily Carr College of Art & Design in Vancouver, B.C. Early in her career Ann specialized in making life-like recreations for international museums such as the Florida Museum of Natural History, the DNA Learning Center, Cold Springs New York, and Nasa's Space Center in Houston, Texas, USA. Her work spanned constructing various dinosaurs and early hominids based on skeletal evidence to creating sculptural representations of well-known astronauts.
Ann went on to work as a special make-up effects artist for 16 years in a host of A-list feature films and television productions where she helped create memorable characters such as X-Men's Mystique, working with Gordon Smith (Order of Canada) and his crew at FXSmith Studio in Toronto. The FXSmith team has been nominated for an Emmy Award, Artist Guild Award, and received Saturn and Gemini awards among others. Creating realistic prosthetics that can stand up to the scrutiny of close up shots in large screen projection in a pre-CGI world honed Ann’s eye for exacting detail. A complete list of Ann's filmography can be found on the. Internet Movie Data Base (IMBD)
Ann has taught sculpting to visual effects students at the Art Institute of Vancouver and sculpting and make-up effects techniques at the Vancouver Film School. She pursued her interest in Basic and Advanced Forensic Facial 3D Reconstruction and also trained under internationally renowned forensic illustrator, author and sculptor Karen T. Taylor, advancing her skills in Comprehensive Composite Drawing, Advanced Two Dimensional Identification Techniques and Two Dimensional Facial Reconstruction. Ann employed these skills in creating age reconstruction portraits for local Police in their missing persons department. Ann's sculptural work can be seen in our nation's capital where she worked as part of Jack Harmen's team responsible for the Peace Keepers Monument and the equestrian statue of Queen Elizabeth on Parliament Hill. Ann is a recipient of the Canada Council Arts Award.
In 2014 she joined the Craniofacial Prosthetic Unit (CPU) at Sunnybrook Health and Science Centre in Toronto Ontario. The Craniofacial Prosthetic Unit is one of only three in Canada to have multidisciplinary healthcare teams. The team consists of Otolaryngologists, Craniofacial surgeons, a Maxillofacial Prosthodontist, Anaplastologists and supportive healthcare specialists.
Ann opened West Coast Prosthetic Arts Inc in 2023, offering anaplastology services to the residents of BC and beyond. She continues to work with Sunnybrook’s CPU on a contract basis.
link to the Craniofacial Prosthetic Unit at Sunnybrook Health and Science Centre:
Sunnybrook Hospital
The 2021 BC Achievement Award of Distinction was awarded to Ann for her contribution to field
of Anaplastology.
Ann McLaren is a anaplastologist based out of Vancouver B.C. She specializes in highly realistic facial prosthetics.
Ann studied figurative sculpture at Emily Carr College of Art & Design in Vancouver, B.C. Early in her career Ann specialized in making life-like recreations for international museums such as the Florida Museum of Natural History, the DNA Learning Center, Cold Springs New York, and Nasa's Space Center in Houston, Texas, USA. Her work spanned constructing various dinosaurs and early hominids based on skeletal evidence to creating sculptural representations of well-known astronauts.
Ann went on to work as a special make-up effects artist for 16 years in a host of A-list feature films and television productions where she helped create memorable characters such as X-Men's Mystique, working with Gordon Smith (Order of Canada) and his crew at FXSmith Studio in Toronto. The FXSmith team has been nominated for an Emmy Award, Artist Guild Award, and received Saturn and Gemini awards among others. Creating realistic prosthetics that can stand up to the scrutiny of close up shots in large screen projection in a pre-CGI world honed Ann’s eye for exacting detail. A complete list of Ann's filmography can be found on the. Internet Movie Data Base (IMBD)
Ann has taught sculpting to visual effects students at the Art Institute of Vancouver and sculpting and make-up effects techniques at the Vancouver Film School. She pursued her interest in Basic and Advanced Forensic Facial 3D Reconstruction and also trained under internationally renowned forensic illustrator, author and sculptor Karen T. Taylor, advancing her skills in Comprehensive Composite Drawing, Advanced Two Dimensional Identification Techniques and Two Dimensional Facial Reconstruction. Ann employed these skills in creating age reconstruction portraits for local Police in their missing persons department. Ann's sculptural work can be seen in our nation's capital where she worked as part of Jack Harmen's team responsible for the Peace Keepers Monument and the equestrian statue of Queen Elizabeth on Parliament Hill. Ann is a recipient of the Canada Council Arts Award.
In 2014 she joined the Craniofacial Prosthetic Unit (CPU) at Sunnybrook Health and Science Centre in Toronto Ontario. The Craniofacial Prosthetic Unit is one of only three in Canada to have multidisciplinary healthcare teams. The team consists of Otolaryngologists, Craniofacial surgeons, a Maxillofacial Prosthodontist, Anaplastologists and supportive healthcare specialists.
Ann opened West Coast Prosthetic Arts Inc in 2023, offering anaplastology services to the residents of BC and beyond. She continues to work with Sunnybrook’s CPU on a contract basis.
link to the Craniofacial Prosthetic Unit at Sunnybrook Health and Science Centre:
Sunnybrook Hospital
The 2021 BC Achievement Award of Distinction was awarded to Ann for her contribution to field
of Anaplastology.
Tom Czarnopys, BFA
Tom Czarnopys is a clinically trained anaplastologist who creates hyper-realistic facial prostheses.
Tom has been a professional artist since graduating from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1982. He has exhibited his sculptural works internationally through art galleries and art museums, and the work appears in numerous catalogs and publications. Public collections include, some highlighted: Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, Illinois, the Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham, Alabama, Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, Ct, as well as private collections. In 1990 Tom was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship.
As the the owner of Tom Czarnopys Studio LLC, Tom’s photo-realistic sculptural works, FX props and models, were seen in over 600 television commercials , print ads, feature films, TV shows and natural history museums.
Beginning in 1987, Tom had the pleasure of working with Gordon J. Smith C.M. (Order of Canada. Member ) of special effects design company FXSMITH and his talented and innovative crew of world class sculptors and artists. Together they brought the first silicone-gel prosthetic make-up to film in 1994’s “Legends of the Fall” which became the film industry standard around the world.
In 2021 Tom joined the team at Toronto’s Sunnybrook Health and science Centre’s Craniofacial Prosthetics Unit bringing nearly forty years of experience in innovative materials /processes and the latest digital technologies to help make a real difference in the lives of patients.
While Tom works with West Coast Prosthetic Arts he continues to work with Sunnybrook’s Craniofacial Prosthetic Unit on a contract basis as well as his own digital prosthetic design business.
Tom Czarnopys is a clinically trained anaplastologist who creates hyper-realistic facial prostheses.
Tom has been a professional artist since graduating from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1982. He has exhibited his sculptural works internationally through art galleries and art museums, and the work appears in numerous catalogs and publications. Public collections include, some highlighted: Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, Illinois, the Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham, Alabama, Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, Ct, as well as private collections. In 1990 Tom was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship.
As the the owner of Tom Czarnopys Studio LLC, Tom’s photo-realistic sculptural works, FX props and models, were seen in over 600 television commercials , print ads, feature films, TV shows and natural history museums.
Beginning in 1987, Tom had the pleasure of working with Gordon J. Smith C.M. (Order of Canada. Member ) of special effects design company FXSMITH and his talented and innovative crew of world class sculptors and artists. Together they brought the first silicone-gel prosthetic make-up to film in 1994’s “Legends of the Fall” which became the film industry standard around the world.
In 2021 Tom joined the team at Toronto’s Sunnybrook Health and science Centre’s Craniofacial Prosthetics Unit bringing nearly forty years of experience in innovative materials /processes and the latest digital technologies to help make a real difference in the lives of patients.
While Tom works with West Coast Prosthetic Arts he continues to work with Sunnybrook’s Craniofacial Prosthetic Unit on a contract basis as well as his own digital prosthetic design business.