A wonderful time at WonderGround!

This past weekend was the opening of the Good vs. Evil show at the WonderGround Gallery, in Downtown Disney! I was lucky enough to not only be involved in the show, but to be at the opening and signing event, which was such an awesome experience for me. Disney art and the artists who've worked on many of the animated films and concept art have had a huge influence on me since I was a little one. The work of artists like Mary Blair, Eyvind Earle and Gustaf Tenggren (just to name a few!) have inspired me to paint and learn traditional image making methods. To be able to exhibit my work in a Disney gallery was just the ultimate honor to me.  

Dorking out next to my Snow White!

Evil Queen painting, gouache on watercolor paper

The gallery showcased the work of a handful of amazingly talented people, artists working in all different mediums and techniques, each interpreting the theme of the show in their own unique style. It's truly an honor to have my work hang there among all of the incredible art! For the show, I decided to paint Snow White and the Evil Queen. That movie had such an impact on me when I was a kid, plus this year being the the 75th anniversary of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (can you believe it?!), it just felt right to go with those characters! The gallery had also asked me to paint a Mickey piece, which was an absolute blast to paint! The gallery not only offers the original paintings, but also sells deluxe prints, giclée canvas prints and various merchandise with our art on it. 

A peek inside the gallery

The Opening and signing event was wonderful! Everyone was so kind and appreciative, from the guests to the wonderful staff who made sure we were all comfortable during the event. I had lots of young girls come up to me asking for a sketch or two during the event, a few who were interested in becoming artists themselves. They had lots of questions about art school, how to practice drawing/painting, etc. This was the highlight of the trip for me. I was so thrilled to meet young inspired ladies who want to pursue art! 

After the event we decided to have a quick dinner and then walk around the parks to see it all lit up at night. I had never been to the parks around the holiday season and was totally blown away by how gorgeous the decorations and lights were! Attractions like the Haunted Mansion and It's a Small World were completely decked out in holiday awesomeness! I was especially thrilled with how the Haunted Mansion had a Nightmare Before Christmas makeover for the holidays, it was adorable and I want to move in immediately ;)

It's a Small World!

It was all in all, an absolutely wonderful and positive experience, and I hope I get to do it all over again soon! Thanks so much to everyone who came by during the event to support our work, and to everyone who made the event happen! I hope you had a great time!