The Art of Jim Shore

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Q: The name of your collection of Disney inspired figures is called Disney Traditions. Can you share with us what Disney Traditions means to you as an artist?

 

For as long as I can remember I’ve been a huge Disney fan. Like everybody in my generation, I grew up with it. Characters like Mickey and Donald, stories like Snow White and Pinocchio, were an important, everyday part of our lives. And it wasn’t just great entertainment. We picked up some pretty important life lessons too. Disney stood for the values we admired most, things like courage, loyalty, friendship. And what’s great is those classic Disney movies and characters are as popular now as they were when I was a kid. As an artist and for me personally, being associated with that kind of creative tradition is an incredible honor.

Q: Reminiscent of folk art, the detailed quilting patterns and scroll designs along with meticulous attention to character detail and color are all indicators of your signature style of art. What path led you to this unique style?

I grew up in a family of quilters, so I guess that part of it sort of comes naturally. But as I grew older I was drawn to the broader traditions of American and European folk art, things like rosemaling, tole painting, Fraktur and what’s called Pennsylvania Dutch. The unique thing about my work is the combination of these different folk art elements. The challenge is pulling everything together into something that makes sense visually. The goal is to keep the eye moving across the entire piece, taking in all the different elements while appreciating the composition as a whole. It’s not as easy as it sounds!

Q: No matter the subject, the color story used for each of your creations can be described as bright and cheerful. How do you select your color combinations?

My grandmother specialized in what’s called Crazy Quilts, which combine apparently random bits of cloth into abstract designs. They were pretty wild and she was pretty out there when it came to color. No combination was off limits to her. I grew up watching her work and I guess I picked up on that mindset. And since I never went to art school that early influence didn’t get bogged down with a lot of formal training. Consequently I use color in a way that most artists would find unconventional. For me it works to put a pink next to an orange next to a purple next to a green. I guess I’m a lot like Grandma that way.

Q: Speaking of favorites, we often see the same character portrayed in different pieces, especially when it comes to your seasonal designs. Do you have a favorite character and what about this character inspires your creativity?

I love Tinker Bell. She’s smart, loyal and very spirited. She’s full of fun but always seems to do the right thing in the end. Plus her size makes her an interesting subject to work with. I have a great time drawing her in scale with stuff around the house like clocks, candy canes and the like.

Q: Those of us in the know have seen you appear on more than one occasion at the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort. What brings you back and what do you enjoy about the experience?

 

I’m a grandfather several times over, at a stage of life where fairy tales and pirate adventures aren’t supposed to mean much. But the Disney Parks bring out the kid in me and I love going back. I’ll be signing at Disneyland November 20-21 and at Walt Disney World December 3-5. It’s a great time to go because everything at the parks is getting ginned up for Christmas. There’s a special energy that time of year.

Q: The pieces you design for your Disney Traditions collection are among our Guest favorites. Can you give us a sneak peek as to what we might see next?

We’ve got a lot of good things in the pipeline. And what’s gratifying for me is that a lot of them have to do with special memories I have with my kids. My daughters watched Aladdin ‘til they memorized every line. We have a new Genie piece coming out and flying carpet with Aladdin and Jasmine that’ll make them happy. And I used to watch the Muppets every Saturday night with the kids, so the new Muppets collection due out this winter is a family favorite. Plus we have a new take on a musical Disney Princess collection and maybe a theme park piece or two to follow up on the Hitchhiking Ghosts piece I did last year. I’m pretty excited about it. I love doing the Disney pieces.

The Art of Randy Noble

Randy began his career with Disney Parks in the fall of 1998, when he joined Disney Design Group as a Senior Character Artist.

Dara: Our Guests have gotten to know you through your Disney art and collectible merchandise as well as your original artwork. How would you describe your art style to someone who has never seen any of your work?

Randy: I guess as far as my paintings go the paintings guest react the most to are my watercolors. They are loose with big washes of color and are more free flowing in style not worrying about where the color may go. I like to work in a variety of mediums like oil, acrylic, casein, and gouache but watercolor is still my favorite.

Dara: In addition to limited edition art work, what additional projects have you worked on that our Guests may not be familiar with? Are there any past projects that you have worked on that you’re most passionate about?

Randy: I have been very lucky to have worked on many great projects during my time at Disney Design Group such as Star Wars Weekends, Food & Wine Festival, Pin events, Disneyana, and the creative for our Disney Store on 5th Avenue in New York. I guess I was most passionate about Vinylmation. This was a project that my partner in Arts & Collectibles (Aaron Babcock) and I started from scratch and have watched it grow much larger than we first envisioned.

Dara: When selecting the characters that will appear in your art, is there a process you go through to help determine what character you’re going to focus on? Where do you draw your inspiration for each piece?

Randy: Each time I sit down and think of a new painting I try and keep in mind our guest and what characters they love. I do have favorites like Goofy and Pluto but I really enjoy painting all the characters. My inspiration comes from Disney Parks, I’m reminded every day as I drive onto Disney property what a great job I have, and how lucky I’ve been in my career.

The Art of Darren Wilson

Darren Wilson is a Graphic Designer for Disney Design Group and his talents can be seen not only in his fine artwork but also in popular Disney Theme Park Authentic items such as Disney's co-branded Dooney and Bourke collections and on the high seas with Disney Cruise Line.

Darren, your work continues to provide a sense of enchantment to our Guests. Your ability to capture some of our most notable Disney characters in many scenes and scenarios is just part of the charm and magic that makes them so special. What led you to want to depict the characters in such a unique style?

Disney has such a rich history and tradition with its characters that I really try to capture the timeless quality of them. Over the years, I have developed my own vision of how I’ve perceived the characters to be and have created a unique art style that has become well known to Disney fans and collectors. I am inspired by the characters’ essences and nuances by bringing them to life through movement, composition, tone and attention to detail in a vintage classical way.

Your upcoming pieces will surely capture the imagination of Disney enthusiasts and collectors everywhere. Can you give us some highlights and insights on the pieces you’ve created for your upcoming artist showcase and why you chose these subjects?

The first painting depicts a scene from one of my favorite movies, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” I wanted to put all the characters in a tight compact space all around Snow White and get them large enough to highlight all their expressions and individuality.

In the second painting, Chip and Dale, I wanted to play up the humorous and mischievous look about them. I chose to keep the palate more tonal with hints of color.

Lastly, I painted Cinderella from rags to riches transformation. This painting reminds me of a moment that we all can relate, where we have come from in life’s journey to where we are now.

When you’re not creating your one-of-a-kind masterpieces, what additional items are you dreaming up for Disney Theme Park Merchandise? Have there been any projects from your past that stand out as favorites?

I am currently working for the softlines division here in Attractions Merchandise. I am really excited about the work I have done with the cobranded business with Dooney & Bourke. I have created the character sketch print, along with fellow designer Donna Kozatek, which has been a huge hit with our guests! We also just released a Princess line of bags that I am excited about that depicts the princesses in cameo poses and is very colorful. I worked on Mickey, Minnie and Tinker Bell tattoo inspired art as well as some Pirates of the Caribbean apparel. But when it comes to the gallery work, I am really excited about the series of Disney Cruise Line paintings I have done for the Disney Dream.

One of my favorite questions to ask is ‘How did you get your start with Disney?’ Everyone that comes to work at the most magical place on earth has a unique story to tell. Can you share your story with us?

For my 8th birthday, I got a Walt Disney light-up drawing desk from my parents. The little plastic drawing desk was really cool with Disney characters that I could trace. That little desk inspired me and turned me into a drawing machine! It took several hundred ugly drawings; but before long, I became really good at sketching the characters. I have always been creative, winning art contests through my early years of education. I attended college on an art scholarship, and then graduated with a degree in design from Auburn University in 1993. 

I began my career in Nashville, Tennessee, where I worked as a designer for a public relations firm with clients such as Saturn and Bridgestone/Firestone. I also spent some time designing for a small studio in the heart of Music Row. I arrived in Orlando in 1996 and worked as a designer for Universal Studios. 

Soon after, I received the call I had been waiting for, and since that happy day in 1997, I have worked as a graphic designer for Walt Disney World. I have had the opportunity to create designs for the Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney Cruise Line, Disneys California Adventure, Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

I have been happily creating original paintings for the Art of Disney galleries for the past 11 years.