I’m grateful to Walt Disney

It’s funny how a lifetime of enjoying the worlds of Disney can be taken for granted until you really stop and think about it. Growing up literally a few miles away from Walt’s park, we could watch the fireworks from our backyard, and from my cousin’s house you could hear the Mark Twain whistle. We looked forward to family visits to the park, sometimes with just our immediate family, sometimes with the Indian Guides families. Either way, it was always a memorable time and it took my Dad from his busy life and forced him to be with us to just have fun together.

I was reminded last December of the day we heard on the radio that Walt Disney had passed away. I was in the barber chair, my Dad was there with a room full of boys & Dads and we all stopped what we were doing as time stood still and we just considered what this meant. I thought it would all end, Disneyland, World of Color TV show, the movies, all of it. I felt so sad, the only other time I remember feeling that way was when we heard about JFK being shot. The good news of course, was that Walt had gathered together a wonderful group of talented people and had created such an environment of creativity and direction that the company continued on, much to the credit of these people and, of course, Walt’s brother, Roy.

I can’t imagine our world without the influence of Walt Disney. If you’re not a Disney fan, that statement probably sounds ridiculous, but for those of us who appreciate and love the magic of the parks and classic Disney movies, TV and characters, it makes a lot of sense. I have loved art all of my life, drawing Disney characters as early as I can remember, oil painting has been my favorite form of art for the past 30+ years. I am thankful for the skills that enable me to re-create areas of the parks, scenes and situations that take me back to memories of times with my parents, times with my wife, and times with my kids which continue to this day. My hope is that everyone who purchases my art will also recall their own memories as they look at the art on their own walls.

My now adult kids are always onboard for a trip to Walt Disney World, and so we continue, after over 60 years to create memories all thanks to one man with a vision, who didn’t listen when everyone, including his wife told him it would not succeed. I’m grateful!

“Why I Paint the Parks: The Story Behind Storylight Studio.”

Well, here we are, after many weeks of work perfecting my first pieces for the world to see and countless hours spent on designing this website, the day is finally here! And my art is on display for everyone to see, I am excited and encouraged as I look forward to many years of creating and sharing art that will communicate my love of the Disney parks with anyone who shares this love. I grew up in Orange County, California in the sixties and like most all kids my age, a trip to Disneyland was a rare treat and one we looked forward to like nothing else, except maybe Christmas.

We lived so close to the park I can remember summer nights watching the Disneyland fireworks from our backyard, my cousin who lived in Anaheim, could actually hear the Mark Twain whistle from his house! He & I would enjoy many trips to the park growing up as close as brothers, eventually taking our dates to the park. Much later, we would take our wives and children and tell countless stories of adventures during our many trips to the parks for them to hear over and over. I digress, this is supposed to be a blog about my new art business.

I have enjoyed painting for many years and have sold a few pieces on other sites but just recently have had the idea of creating my own website and selling my art. I’ve painted many subjects reflecting my love of travel, landscapes and , of course, Disney. I knew I had to find a niche, one theme for my art and the Disney parks was of course, my first choice. I have such a lifelong passion for Walt Disney, I love his story and his parks. My hope for my artwork is that it will reflect that love and passion and bring back memories of time spent with friends and family at the parks. Whether you live on the west coast or the east, or even in another country, if you have a passion for the parks, my hope is that my art will be a lasting reminder of those experiences.

Thank you for reading this and for checking out my site, I know I only have 3 pieces now, but I will be adding more, one by one and I hope you will take the time to write to me via the contact form and let me know which rides or areas of the parks you would like to see me paint. I have many ideas for future works of art but I really would like to know what you would like to see.

I am looking forward to sharing my art with you all and I hope you enjoy my interpretation of our favorite rides and look forward to seeing each new artwork as much as I look forward to creating them and bringing them to you to enjoy.