At age 17, he wrote a letter to the Walt Disney Studios asking how one becomes an artist on their staff. The production manager at the time was a Mr.
Don Duckwall, who encouraged Asbury to submit drawing samples. Asbury did so and was then advised to gain training at California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) near L.A., which offers a degree in Character Animation. Asbury followed that advice and started at CalArts in 1980.