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man of steel-HD

Dad of Steel – Father’s Day Open House

June 13, 2013

 

man of steel-HD

In celebration of the premiere of the latest DC film, Man of Steel, and with Father’s Day right around the corner, Artinsights is having a special Father’s Day/Superman open house on Saturday, June 15th! Our gallery is all prepped with tons of art from Marvel and DC Comics on the walls, so come and check out all these great heroes.

As part of “Dad of Steel”, any father who comes into the gallery will recieve a special gift, courtesy of Artinsights. In addition, any guest at the gallery can enter a drawing for a beautiful piece of DC Comics art by answering “Why my dad is a superdad/super-awesome”*. Is your dad as great as Jonathan Kent or Jor-el (Superman’s foster and biological fathers)?

GuardiansforJustice

“Guardians of Justice” – the best dad will take this home!

 

If you can’t come to the gallery, you can always check out all the cool Marvel/DC artwork that we have available on our website. The Marvel/DC show will run until July 7th.

Click here for the art of DC Comics:

https://artinsights.com/index.php/store/productions/51-dc-universe/

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Infinitely Heroic – Alex Ross

Click here for art from Marvel Comics:

https://artinsights.com/index.php/store/productions/186-marvel-universe/

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Assemble – Alex Ross

Check out our Superman art here:

https://artinsights.com/index.php/store/characters/26-superman/

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For Tomorrow – Jim Lee

And be sure to go see Man of Steel!

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*If your father has joined Jor-El and the rest of Krypton, he can still be entered into the drawing and win.

Marvel vs. DC Press Release

May 16th, 2013
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Leslie Combemale
EXHIBIT MARVEL VS. DC: THE ART OF THE SUPERHERO OPENING
AT ARTINSIGHTS ANIMATION AND FILM ART GALLERY
Reston, VA – ArtInsights Animation and Film Art Gallery has curated a show of originals and limited editions by the leading creators of official fine art images for Marvel and DC comics, including Alex Ross, Jim Lee, Gabriele Dell Otto, Simone Bianchi and Randy Martinez.  From Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, to Iron Man, Wolverine, and Captain America, the most popular and timely characters currently appearing onscreen and in pop culture will be represented.   The exhibit of art for sale will run from June 7th to July 7th, with an opening party on June 7th from 6 to 9 pm, with a DJ, refreshments, and prizes for the best costume and character portrayals.
While the art of Marvel and DC is nothing new to ArtInsights, there has been a decided increase in interest and collectibility of superhero images with the colossal box office success of comic book movies. Says ArtInsights owner Leslie Combemale, “We had Avengers and Iron Man art before the movies came out.  Of course afterwards, there were so many more requests for it!  The new art releases are perfectly timed for our show and we’re thrilled to have some images being premiered in a gallery setting.”  Adds owner Michael Barry, “We have always noticed a strong line of division that fans make about favoring Marvel or DC.  Our artist friends love all the characters they draw, but fans are a different story.  “Marvel vs. DC” is about collectors and fans being shown an exhibit of both and deciding their allegiance after seeing things from an artistic perspective. Some characters just translate better in fine art.”
Alex Ross and Jim Lee are two of the most well known artists in the comic industry, with Ross being credited with contributing to the arrival of a new Golden Age of comics with his popular hyper-realistic style, while Jim Lee is not only an artist but also creator of Wildstorm Comics, and was announced as co-publisher of DC Comics in 2010.  Their art, along with the art of other well known comic illustrators, represents a line of official fine art for the studios, with images ranging in price from $150 for a limited edition lithograph, all the way to $16,000 for a 4 foot multi-character original.
ABOUT ARTINSIGHTS ANIMATION AND FILM ART GALLERY
ArtInsights, established in 1994, is a privately owned gallery located just outside of DC at Reston Town Center, in Virginia.  The gallery presents the most important works of art from the 20th and 21st century film art genre, including original art from the masters of film and moving entertainment.  From film campaign artists to matte painters, from concept and layout artists to animators, ArtInsights represents the giants of film art history.  With over 30 years experience, the owners work with their worldwide collector base to build and insure the integrity of their collections.  They sell rare images used in production as well as original commissions which are often used to create official limited editions. ArtInsights exclusively represents the original art of John Alvin, Casey Robin, and Ben Curtis Jones, and also exhibits Tim Rogerson, Jim Salvati, Mike Kungl, Chuck Jones, Christian Waggoner, Steve Chorney, Mary Grandpre and and many other artists made famous by their work for the major Hollywood studios.  Featured studios include Disney, Warner Bros., Paramount, and 20th Century Fox, in a display of images from the best classic movies and animated features of the last 100 years as well as newer classics like Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Star Trek.
Marvel-vs-DC-Halfsheet-online

Coming Soon: Marvel/DC

May 17, 2013

 

Marvel-vs-DC-Halfsheet-online

 

Marvel? or DC? That’s an age-old question. Well, we love them both (a lot) and as a result, we have a ton of amazing superhero art that we want to show you! We thought, what better time to host a Marvel vs. DC show than this summer–what with Iron Man 3 and Man of Steel being released…

 

The show will feature animation cels as well as artwork by Jim Lee, Bruce Timm, Randy Martinez, Glen Orbik, and more. Some pieces are signed by Stan Lee, and that is pretty neat. Also, we have never-before-seen works from Alex Ross–including an exclusive pre-release Batman painting.

 

We’re so excited about the show that we’re even throwing a party. (You’re invited obviously.) It’s going to be on Friday June 7th from 6 to 9 PM, to celebrate the opening of the show. There will be music and lights and art and good times. Plus, if you dress up as a superhero (or villain), there’s a chance that you’ll win a cool  prize. 

 

Don’t miss the show! Make sure you visit us at 20907 Medinah Court in Reston Town Center between June 7th and July 7th.

 

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 Vist Marvel and DC Comics online.

Toby-Bluth

Artinsights Welcomes Toby Bluth

ARTINSIGHTS WELCOMES DISNEY ART DIRECTOR AND ILLUSTRATOR TOBY BLUTH  IN PERSON 
FOR THE PREMIERE OF FIRST ONE MAN SHOW WORLDWIDE
April 18, 2007
 
Toby-Bluth
 
Reston Town Center, VA – ArtInsights Animation and Film Arts Gallery, the only gallery to represent animation and film in Virginia, will be premiering the art of famed Disney illustrator Toby Bluth in a show to open on April 28th with a personal appearance by Mr. Bluth from 2 to 7 pm in their gallery.  On display will be the originals of the first five limited editions released at Disney World and Disneyland, as well as others he created especially this exhibit. 
 
 Mr. Bluth, a long time animation artist of renown who most recently acted as art director for The Tigger Movie and Disney’s The Three Musketeers,  is one of a very few artists selected to represent Disney with limited editions of his art in the Disney parks and galleries around the world, and ArtInsights will be the first to feature him since the release of his art at Disney.  The show will include original watercolors and limited editions and will run through June 4th.
 
“We’re so excited to be premiering the originals for the first limited editions released by Toby”, says co-owner Leslie Combemale.  Included in the show are images of Snow White, Bambi, Dumbo, Fantasia, and other Disney classics, many of which he interpreted for Disney storybooks.  Combemale continues,  “His art is selling so quickly, before we can even frame it for show.   Most of the originals are sold already, but now we’re taking commissions and all the collectors have been willing to let us keep his art for the show.  We had a flood in February and had to be closed for a month, so the success of this show is a welcome part of our reopening.”  The limited editions of the originals are available to have dedicated by the artist at the show, and an original rendering by Mr. Bluth is included with every commission sold during his appearance.   
 
Believing that how one remembers a film is often different from the film itself, Toby Bluth paints what he perceives as the collective memory of the film experience and taps into the emotional essence of the story. Chiaroscuro, the use of deep variations in and subtle gradations of light and shade, especially to enhance the delineation of character and for dramatic effect, is a key component in Bluth’s work. The blue shaded undercoat or chiaroscuro effect that is the genesis of every original, adds depth, life, as well as warm and cool shadows to each scene. He also refers to this process as “painting the light and the air”.  
 
Toby-Bluth-Bambi
 
Inspired by the work of legendary illustrator Gustaf Tengrenn, whom Walt Disney recruited to work on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Bluth is passionate about his craft. A multifaceted artist, Toby’s creative endeavors do not end at the tip of his brush. He is an accomplished writer, director, designer and a veteran of the American musical stage, having performed and or directed in nearly one hundred musicals, both on Broadway and beyond.
 
 
ABOUT ARTINSIGHTS
 
ArtInsights, established in 1994, is a privately owned gallery located in Reston Town Center, in Virginia.  They are doing well with the addition the art of the cinema to their specialization of creating and developing collections of animation art from Disney, Warner Brothers, Hanna Barbera, and all other major studios.  With more than 30 combined years of experience in the animation art field, owners Michael Barry and Leslie Combemale work closely with individuals and corporations to ensure the integrity of their collections.  In addition to being one of only 10 Chuck Jones Signature Galleries in the country, ArtInsights is Virginia’s only animation gallery and is the only gallery in the Washington Metropolitan area authorized to represent Warner Bros. and Hanna Barbera animation art to the public.  They also have exclusive rights to sell original illustrative art by Harry Potter book cover artist Mary GrandPre, and are one of a handful of galleries worldwide authorized to sell originals by famed cinema artist John Alvin, who has created posters and art for over 130 movies including Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. 

 

 

 

HarryPotter-StuartCraig

Harry Potter Film Concept Art for Leakycon

ArtInsights Gallery reveals exclusive new limited edition of Harry Potter film concept art signed by Stuart Craig Potter to enthusiastic Leakycon attendees.
July 13, 2011
 
HarryPotter-StuartCraig
 
ArtInsights, the animation and film art gallery that represents the official art of Harry Potter, announces the release of six new limited edition prints based on concept art for the Harry Potter film series, images designed and and signed by Harry Potter production designer Stuart Craig, and illustrated by concept artist Andrew Williamson.
 
The six images feature Hogwarts Castle, Malfoy Manor, The Weasley Burrow, Harry’s Trial, The Quidditch Tent City, and The Horcrux Cave.  They are in an edition of 250, with the first 50 designated as sets of six.  ArtInsights, located in the Washington DC area, is a  gallery that has been representing Harry Potter art released through Warner Brothers since 2000. These are the first official images to be released from the art department of the film series that have been signed by the production designer.    
 
“I think Warner Brothers now believes that Harry Potter fans can appreciate the importance of the behind-the-scenes artists responsible for the finished look of the film series.” says ArtInsights gallery owner Leslie Combemale, who is showing the new art as part of an exhibit of the official art of Harry Potter at the convention.  “Stuart Craig is one of the few consistent players involved from the beginning of the film series and he, along with producer David Heyman, is due a huge amount of credit for the movie’s beauty, and for its success.
I love that so many Harry Potter fans not only know who he is, but truly appreciate his role in making the films so extraordinary.”
 
HarryPotter-StuartCraig-SetDesign
 
The gallery is also displaying and offering for sale original art used as concepts for the movie poster campaign, as well as limited editions by book cover artist Mary GrandPre, movie concept artist Jim Salvati, and Harry Potter movie graphic artists Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima. 
 
Quidditch World Cup Tents     $375.00
image size: 22″ x 9 3/4″
paper size: 26″ x 13 3/4″
 
Journey to Hogwarts          $375.00
image size: 22″ x 9 1/4″
paper size: 26″ x 13 1/4″
 
Harry’s Trial                           $375.00
image size: 22″ x 9 1/4″
paper size: 26″ x 13 1/4″
 
The Burrow                           $375.00
image size: 20″ x 8 1/4″
paper size: 24″ x 12 1/4″
 
The Horcrux Cave             $350.00
image size: 15″ x 11″
paper size: 19″ x 15″
 
Malfoy Manor                 $350.00
image size: 15″ x 10″
paper size: 19″ x 14″
 
Undoubtedly the tales of Harry Potter and his adventures at Hogwarts comprise some of the most alluring fiction to date.  This fiction has been brought to life onscreen for a new generation of film fans and the last installment is receiving overwhelmingly positive reviews from fans and critics alike.  Stuart Craig, who has received Oscars for Gandhi, The English Patient, and Dangerous Liaisons, as well as numerous English BAFTAs for the Harry Potter series, has been responsible for the entire look of the films, and as part of that has drawn hundreds of drawings to guide the creation of the illustrations by his art department.  
 
These exclusive pieces are an important addition to the collection of Harry Potter fine art images spanning the book series and films that have been previously released.  This film art connects the collectors with the design and development of some of their favorite scenes and moments from the movie series, evoking in the viewer the same excitement that comes from the pen of Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling.  
 
For more information about these exclusive images, visit the ArtInsights website, at

 

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Limited Editions of Harry Potter Film Concept Art

ArtInsights Animation and Film Art Gallery releases exclusive London Studio Tour limited editions 
of Harry Potter film concept art signed by Stuart Craig to American collectors 
July 12, 2012
 
HarryPotter-DarkMarkOverLondon
 
ArtInsights, the animation and film art gallery that represents the official art of Harry Potter, announces the release of new limited edition prints based on concept art for the Harry Potter film series, images designed and and signed by Harry Potter production designer Stuart Craig, and illustrated by concept artist Andrew Williamson.  Originally selected for the opening of the Warner Brothers Harry Potter Studio Tour at Leavesden, these images are now being released to fans on this side of the Atlantic.  
 
The release includes Making a Great Exit (the Weasley twins flying through the great hall), Dark Mark Over London, Creating Hogwarts & The Black Lake, Creating Hogsmeade, Escape on the Dragon, The Twins Depart, (another great twins piece) and Journey on The Hogwarts Express.  This art has been so popular in London that the Journey on The Hogwarts Express and Dark Mark pieces are already almost sold out.  There has already been much interest and support here as well, as exampled by the fan reaction and sales at the premiere at Leakycon 2012.
 
HarryPotter-EscapeontheDragon
 
ArtInsights, located in the Washington DC area, is a gallery that has been representing Harry Potter art released through Warner Brothers since 2000. These images were hand selected to represent the art of the successful film series at the opening of the Warner Brothers Studio tour London-Making of Harry Potter, and now are available online and through contacting the gallery.  
 
“It is exciting that the film art made available for sale when the Leavesden Studio Tour opened has been appreciated and is being purchased by fans who visit.  Says ArtInsights owner Leslie Combemale,.  “It means film art is being seen more as a real art, not just as a means to an end.  Stuart Craig deserves a lot of credit for the visual beauty and success of the Potter series.  How wonderful that fans obviously not only know who he is, but truly appreciate his role in making the films so extraordinary.”    
 
Undoubtedly the tales of Harry Potter and his adventures at Hogwarts comprise some of the most alluring fiction to date.  This fiction has been brought to life onscreen for a new generation of film fans and the last installment is receiving overwhelmingly positive reviews from fans and critics alike.  Stuart Craig, who has received Oscars for Gandhi, The English Patient, and Dangerous Liaisons, as well as numerous English BAFTAs for the Harry Potter series, has been responsible for the entire look of the films, and as part of that has drawn hundreds of drawings to guide the creation of the illustrations by his art department.  
 
These exclusive pieces are an important addition to the collection of Harry Potter fine art images spanning the book series and films that have been previously released.  This film art connects the collectors with the design and development of some of their favorite scenes and moments from the movie series, evoking in the viewer the same excitement that comes from the pen of Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling.  
 
For more information or more images, visit the ArtInsights website, at

 

johnalvin-bladerunner

John Alvin Originals at ArtInsights

John Alvin Originals CAN BE FOUND AT THEIR OFFICIAL GALLERY HOME!

ArtInsights Animation and Film Art Gallery has exclusive rights to selling all official original art from the estate of John Alvin. If looking for available art through official channels directly from his estate,

please click here to go to this link!

Such great press for The Art of John Alvin! read our ArtInsights blog about it…

by clicking here!

This is the cover of the awesome book releasing from Titan
This is the cover of the awesome book releasing from Titan
Here is the new rehung gallery section, a tiny bit of the original art we have of John Alvin, along with his red shoes
Here is the new rehung gallery section, a tiny bit of the original art we have of John Alvin, along with his red shoes
John Alvin in ArtInsights with members of the Empire...
John Alvin in ArtInsights with members of the Empire…

We at ArtInsights have been proud to be have known John Alvin and are honored to be connected as the official conduit from artist, through his family, to collector. There is a special interaction inherent to the experience of collecting original art, and we believe when movie lovers can enjoy a piece of art by such a renown artist such as John Alvin from any movie on which he created images, they become part of celebrating the important aspect of film history that campaign art represents. Collecting posters is a wonderful thing, but having a piece of art used in the making of the poster is something those who have begun a collection of such can tell you is a truly joyful experience. John Alvin was a lovely man, humble, warm, and kind, who always had time for his fans and blossoming artists. We miss him and are thrilled The Art of John Alvin will create new fans and increase awareness about him throughout the world.

We hope if you are in the Washington DC area or would like to see a collection of original art by John Alvin you’ll come to our gallery where you can see them in person. Thanks for your interest!

Leslie Combemale
ArtInsights Animation and Film Art Gallery

chuck-jones-bugs-bunny

The Chuck Jones Centennial at ArtInsights

Chuck Jones Centennial
Legendary Animation Creator and Director’s 100th Year Begins with an Exhibition at ArtInsights
November 3, 2011
 
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Reston, VA:  ArtInsights announced today that it was chosen by the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity to be the first gallery in the United States to host an exhibition and sale of original Chuck Jones drawings that celebrates the legendary animation creator and director’s 100th year.  The exhibition is called Chuck Jones: An Animation Legend Turns 100. It will open to the public on Sunday, November 5, 2011 from 2 to 5 PM with special guest, Craig Kausen, Chairman of the Center and Chuck Jones’s grandson.  “We have Chuck Jones exhibits opening this year at the Port of Portland’s International Airport that will be viewed by nearly one million travelers as well as at the Franklin Park Conservatory in Columbus, Ohio,” said Craig Kausen, “and we could not have thought of a better gallery than ArtInsights in which to launch my grandfather’s centennial celebrations with this important exhibition of original drawings from his amazing career.”  Also as part of the opening, a presentation called Chuck Jones: Fabulous Firsts will be shown as part of the new Washington West Film Festival on Friday November 4th at 6:30 pm at the CIT Center for Innovative Technology in Herndon.
 
Jones, one of the fathers of Bugs Bunny and the creator of such iconic cartoon characters as Wile E. Coyote, Road Runner, Pepé le Pew and Marvin Martian, was born in Spokane, Washington, on September 21, 1912.  The four-time Academy Award recipient, including a Lifetime Achievement Oscar in 1996, enjoyed a seven decade career in animation and fine art, beginning in 1932.  His life and life’s work spanned the history of animation, from the first tentative steps of Gertie the Dinosaur, animated by Windsor McKay in 1912, to the brilliant CGI (computer generated imagery) of John Lasseter and Pixar Studios.  
 
At the core of his work and life, and the one aspect of his success that speaks most clearly to artists today, was his love of drawing.  Jones, even into his 80’s, wondered at his luck to have found a job during the Depression that paid him to do what he loved most and that was to draw.  “Chuck’s drawings have always held a special place in my heart,” commented Leslie Combemale, owner of ArtInsights, “his line coupled with his great wit make for remarkable original works, works that can and should be cherished by collectors of film art as well as those whose collections are focused on the great masters of 20th century figurative painting and drawing.  I am thrilled to be the first art gallery to host this important exhibition and sale.”  
 
The Chuck Jones Centennial Celebrations will include a revamped version of the multi-media extravaganza “Bugs Bunny at the Symphony” created and conducted by George Daugherty, with planned appearances at Wolf Trap and the Kennedy Center in 2012 as well as with other notable symphony orchestras around the country.  The Center is working with its local Congressman in the hope that United States Congress will designate Jones’s birthday as National Chuck Jones Creativity Day in 2012.  
 
Art Insights is located just outside of Washington, D.C. at 20907 Medinah Court, in Reston Town Center, Virginia.   The gallery presents the most important works of art from the 20th century film art genre, including original art from the masters of film and moving entertainment.  From film campaign artists to matte painters, from concept and layout artists to animators, ArtInsights represents the giants of film art history.  Artists represented include Chuck Jones, John Alvin, Maurice Noble, Bill Melendez, Lawrence Noble, Jim Salvati, and many other artists made famous by their work for Disney Studios and Warner Bros.   For more information please call the gallery at 703-478-0778.  
 
A complete biography of Chuck Jones, images for print or web use as well as interview opportunities with Craig Kausen are available upon request.   

Mark-Chiarello-HeroesoftheNegroLeague

Art by Mark Chiarello

ARTINSIGHTS EXHIBITS ART BY MARK CHIARELLO
USED FOR THE BOOK “HEROES OF THE NEGRO LEAGUES”, AND FOR 
THE FIRST COLOR BASEBALL CARDS OF THE NEGRO LEAGUE
April 3, 2008
 
                    Mark-Chiarello-HeroesoftheNegroLeague 
 
Reston, VA- ArtInsights Gallery in Reston Town Center has secured exclusive rights to exhibit and sell the original watercolor art used for the bestselling book “Heroes of the Negro Leagues” by illustrator and DC Comics Art Editor Mark Chiarello.  Many of these illustrations were used for the first color baseball cards for the Negro Leagues.   The exhibit will include images of famed Negro Leaguers Satchel Paige, Rube Foster, Josh Gibson, Buck O’Neil, and many others.  Mr. Chiarello will be appearing in person in the gallery opening weekend of Major League Baseball, opening day of the new exhibit, Saturday, March 29th, from 2 to 5 pm.  The show will run through May 30th, or as sales allow.
 
                     heroes-of-the-negro-league
 
The publication of the original baseball cards that inspired the “Heroes of the Negro Leagues” book marked the first time most of the players ever appeared on a baseball card.  Mark Chiarello says he and writer Jack Morelli were inspired to create the cards when they visited the National Baseball Museum in Cooperstown, New York where they saw a plaque for a player they’d never heard of, Judy Johnson.   After some research, they resolved to correct the fact that they and other hardcore baseball fans knew so little of these great athletes.  The cards were expanded into a book that was rated 2nd of all sports books on Amazon.com in 2007, with watercolors the New York Times called “evocative”.   Los Angeles magazine said of the book, “Mark Chiarello’s dreamy watercolor portraits transport us back to a league that time (and most everyone else) has conveniently forgotten”.
 
Mark Chiarello is an award winning artist and the art editor of DC Comics, and has done illustration for LucasFIlm, Disney, Universal Pictures, Topps, and Universal Pictures, to name a few.  He has won the comic book industry’s Eisner, Harvey, and Reuben awards.  He is also creating art for instillation in the new Gaylord National Resort in Maryland’s “National Pastime.”  
 
Says ArtInsights co-owner Michael Barry, “We’ve carried illustration art for quite some time, but never anything sports related.  Mark’s Negro League watercolors are so beautifully executed, it was a perfect fit.  He is more than just a skilled watercolorist, with these pieces he’s captured so much more”.  A great deal of research was required for these portraits, and artist Chiarello says he often looked at more than 200 pictures of a player to find the perfect reference to use.  Barry’s partner, Leslie Combemale, adds,  “Of course they are historically important, but they definitely stand alone as great art.  Many know the more famous Negro Leaguers, but these illustrations allow collectors to connect with some of the many unsung heroes who deserve more recognition.  These watercolors offer an opportunity for baseball fans, art collectors, and history buffs to expand how they see the world, as the best art always does, and Mark has an encyclopedic knowledge of the subject.  We’re proud to have his art in the gallery.” 
 
ABOUT ARTINSIGHTS
 
ArtInsights, established in 1994, is a privately owned business located in Reston Town Center, Virginia.  In addition to specializing in creating and developing collections of animation art from Disney, Warner Brothers, Hanna Barbera, and all other major studios,  The gallery is constantly looking for new and important artist of illustrative, animation, and film art to add to those they currently represent.  Their roster includes Chuck Jones, John Alvin, Toby Bluth, Tim Rogerson, Mary GrandPre, and Jim Salvati.  They recently had the international exclusive first release of limited editions of the Harry Potter book covers by Mary GrandPre.
 
 
With more than 30 combined years of experience in these art genres, owners Michael Barry and Leslie Combemale work closely with individuals and corporations to ensure the integrity of their clients’ collections.  ArtInsights is the only art gallery in the Washington Metropolitan area authorized to represent Warner Bros., Hanna Barbera, and Disney interpretive art to the public.  
 
 

 
 
ARTINSIGHTS
ART ~ ANIMATION ~ FRAMING

 

Coco and Leslie Princesses

Holidays again at ArtInsights

 

Holidays at Reston, New Shows, Costumes.  Yeah.  We have fun!

Saturday, November 26, 2011

 

 

Just came back from playing Belle in the Reston Town Center holiday parade.  I asked by sister Coco to play Cinderella.  She looks so much like her, she could be hired at Disney.  We also had the 501st Legion with us in the parade, and they are always wonderful to have–helpful, very interested in charity (we love that!)…

 

Coco and Leslie Princesses

 

I’ve played Snow White (there are pictures…), Maleficent, the Queen from Snow White, Cruella, A fictitious professor at Hogwarts, a pirate on Jack Sparrow’s ship, Princess Leia, the Grinch, Bugs Bunny, and now, Belle from Beauty and the Beast.  

 

Just when you wonder what good going to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in England will do…since when I dress as Snow White I look not a little like a drag queen I have discovered kids just love princesses, and they won’t notice that instead of 15 she might look around 35.  Today as Belle I get spontaneous hus Bless them, I say…

 

We have been so busy this year we haven’t had time to update what we’ve been doing on this blog, but let’s just say we’ve spent lots of time out at conventions and special events…

 

like: 

I was at the Harry Potter premiere in London for the very last movie and walked a red carpet that is now in the Guinness Book of World Records for its length.

 

We had our very first panel for The Art of the Hollywood Movie Poster at the San Diego Comic Convention.  (it went so well we had folks who had sat in on other panels just to be able to get into ours!! a great sign!)

 

We were also at Leakycon, went to Paris and the South of France to visit animators and go to a family reunion, and went to D23, where we were the only ones who had ONLY original art by Disney interpretive artists.  

 

I’ll tell more when I ever write “ArtInsights: The World Tour”.

 

All of it went incredibly well, and we’ve had our best year so far!  

 

We have big new things in store, and have plans to work with more wonderful artists we met on our travels, but just getting through the year doing what we planned was amazing!

 

We haven’t been actively open as much this year, because we’ve been gone so much so for those of you interested in visiting us, give a call and make sure we aren’t off somewhere doing ambassador stuff for the art of film, or visiting John Alvin’s wife Andrea, or some such fun thing, because we’d love to see you!

 

Meanwhile, one of the big additions to our offering (and workload!) is we started including movie reviews on our web magazine more and more, and Cinema Siren is featured on Patch now, not just a few favorite Patches, (like Herndon.patch.com and rosehill.patch.com, both of which are edited by good friends) but often we are featured on tons of Patches all over Northern Virginia and Maryland, and we’ve had up to 200,000 people read one review so far.  Should we aim for a million???

 

Not sure where that will take us, but we know it will expand awareness of film art, which is good, since it takes a long time to write them, and we take it seriously!

 

We are just finishing up the opening of Chuck Jones’s 100th Birthday kick-off, (an honor from the family) and we were involved in the first Washington West film festival (I was a juror) and we represented Chuck’s family at the festival.  I also voted for some amazing animated films and met some great film makers.

 

We’ve interviewed some great artists this year, and covered some great events (like the Harry Potter premiere!) and look forward to doing that more and more!

 

Our big new deal this December is some John Alvin art we’ve actually been authorized to sell for his estate, and we are trying to get as much of it on our site as possible.  We want also to try to change to Paypal International so we can take payments from all over the world without a headache for the clients, and so we can be assured everything gets processed smoothly for everyone.  We’ll let you know when we get all that together!

 

Keep checking back to see more of John’s art, like originals from Blade Runner and E.T. when he was working on the posters for those films.  VERY exciting!

 

New artists are joining us all the time, but we are only a few of us here, so we add them slowly!  Check back for that too.  We also have a new intern, Victory, so if she answers the phone, say hi to her, she’s a great help to us.

 

Lastly, if you appreciate our web magazine, my interviews, reviews, and our educational perspective, both inside the gallery and out in the world, tell the world about how wonderful we are.  That’s how we get our best clients, is through word of mouth.  Usually once people start buying from us, they find we are jolly good fun!!

 

Thanks and happy holidays!

 

Leslie (and Michael!)

star.jpg

Celebration 5

Monday, August 9, 2010

 

Today Michael and I are running around like lunatics getting ready to drive to Florida to take part in our 3RD convention this summer, Star Wars Celebration 5.  

 

For those of you who have been sleeping inside a Tauntaun for the last 30 years, it’s the anniversary of Empire Strikes Back this year, since it was released in 1980…

 

So for the 5th official time on US soil, LucasFilm is throwing a con/party to celebrate, and all manner of cool geekasm inducing doodads and thingimajigs are being offered for sale exclusively there–and as you may have seen in my “Instant Insights” section of our webmagazine site, George Lucas will be there being interviewed by Jon Stewart as “The Main Event”.  

 

What the jabba the hut will we be doing there?  We will have a booth offering the official art of Star Wars–that is to say the art that was commissioned by LucasFilm for use as posters, books, limited editions, etc., by artists who have been working for them– some since the movies were released, some who have only recently been interpreting the stories…

 

star.jpg

 

The coolest things about our being there:

 

  1. we will be representing the art of John Alvin.   If you don’t yet know who he is, check out our fan site at www.johnalvinart.com or see him on imdb.  you can also read all about him and his importance to the history of Star Wars and film in general at rebelscum.com, where i did an interview with Andrea Alvin, his wife, who will be there with us to meet John’s fans and help carry on his legacy by displaying all his gorgeous original work from Star Wars still on the market (not much!) and some from other films too!  I am completely honored to be representing John’s original art worldwide and also honored to have an exclusive limited edition of the art he painted as he was contemplating what he would do for an official poster for C5, which he was asked to do before he passed away unexpectedly.  We don’t have much of his art on our site yet, because our new one is SO new, but i can send pictures when we get back if anyone is interested in what might still be available for purchase at that time.  The limited edition is $150 and there are only 100 of them.  There are also some new limited editions of his work at the Acme booth…
  2. We got art from Randy Martinez, who will be at our booth during the con every day, and his work is gracing every promo, every event poster, magnets, postcards, even a beachtowel.  His work melds Star Wars with Florida life, and Steve Sansweet, who KNOWS his art, bought some of the originals.  We’ll have most of the others there!  We love Randy, and Randy was a close friend of John Alvin’s, so there’s definitely some symmetry there.  
  3. We got art by William Silvers and Christian Waggoner (#1 most collected limited edition artist for LucasFilm official art!) of Star Wars imagery, and it’s the first time anyone who wants to buy art by those artists have had access to it, because George buys almost everything they’ve ever done.  Finally we’ve gotten access to a few!!  First time ever, so even for those who can’t afford it, it’ll be exciting to see them in person.  Christian will be there, and he promises to come by our booth from time to time!
  4. We get to have access to all the special items available at the Celebration store–like the Wampa with detachable arm and the Eau Lando–want to see what they’re selling?  GO HERE.
  5. Little did we know when we signed up to be part of Celebration that we get passes to “The Main Event” with George and Jon by having a booth.  Otherwise we’d have to stand in line starting the night before–(and don’t think we wouldn’t!) Oh BOY!!!!
  6. We just found out some special guest is coming to the exhibition hall early on Friday morning and “it would behoove us to be there, because we don’t want to miss it”…???  The anticipation is killing us!  We’ll keep you posted…

 

We are very excited.   More updates soon, on this blog…Wish the force being with us!!!

 

Leslie and Michael

 

Infinitus

Friday, July 16, 2010

 

Here at Infinitus it’s like MAGIC!  Time stands still.  In good ways and in bad ways…

We are here from ArtInsights at the Harry Potter convention Infinitus at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  There are 2700 convention attendees of the best fans in all fandom!

 

Two days before we (my little sister Coco and I, who drove from Washington DC) got here, we were framing like lunatics (or should i say Michael was!), writing press releases, making sales from our “Marvel vs. DC” show, figuring out what to wear in the Florida heat/convention air conditioning, making up price lists, and of course, despairing of ever seeing the official art we got for the show–which was with Mary GrandPre to be signed, having just been printed and given the go ahead–

 

but wait.  let’s rewind…

 

We have been working on finding something super special for this convention, partly because i had made such great friends and clients last year, partly because it was the opening of Wizarding World only a tiny bit before (on June 18th, the day Michael and I got married, we like to think the opening was in honor of our wedding!) and we’d been working for some time on it.  Through a series of happy coincidences and friendships we discovered Tommy Lee Edwards had some original art he’d done for the 1st movie, which is just about unheard of!  So I planned a trip to his house so i could see the art in person, and wound up loving him and his family (actually a prerequisite for my selling art in my gallery…no matter how awesome it is.)  So he said I could take it, trusting i’d find the right people to sell it to–they had to be real fans!

 

So we had some really special art tucked away–which turned out to be a good thing when the art we were expecting to get in time for the show got pulled so they could release it at the movie premiere!  Oh, well…Back to begging and pleading for something –one piece–we could release as a special image for the HPWW opening.  Enter my friend at Clampett Studios (who is connected with Warner Brothers) and her saying “well, there’s this one piece, but it doesn’t have a character in it.” 

 

I got a bit hopeful said “send it along and let me see it, i’m sure it’s lovely!”  Sure enough, she sends it, I see it, and–in the words of a Potterhead, “SQUEE!!!”  (that means, wow, cool!  it’s the sound of a tweener shrieking…) 

 

I WAS SO EXCITED!  and really honored that i got to actually get a piece for Infinitus.  It means Warner Brothers, or at least Ruth Clampett, believes in the value and importance of the Harry Potter fans.  Enough that they would put out a special piece for 1. the opening of Wizarding World and 2. Infinitus.  

 

So…between the art we got from Tommy and the special Mary GrandPre art, we decided to drive down to Florida instead of flying (because you can lose it, and it is insured, but we want them in the hands of fans, not in some baggage claim!!)

 

We are having an amazing time, and the fans are incredible, and i’ve met and now INTERVIEWED!! Christian Coulson (Tom Riddle and tons of great English tv/film/and he’s also an amazing) have seen Chris Rankin again, (lovely as usual) met this awesome gal who represents Jim Dale (voice who read the HP books, amazing guy) and aforementioned awesome gal shows up this morning with gorgeous hand painted HP shoes to see the gallery.  

 

Interviewed Chris Rankin about the 7th movie and his future plans.  He’s been wonderful here, fans love him!  As to Christian Coulson…pretty.  which belies the brains that noggin houses…hardly seems fair.

 

The special piece has been selling like crazy and today has been brisk for not only it but all of Mary GrandPre’s limited editions and some lovely originals by Tommy Lee Edwards have found happy homes!  if any of you are interested in the special Hogwarts piece, email me at artinsights@gmail.com, because you’ll have to be added soonish to make sure you get one!

       

 

LukeVaderReflect

A Galaxy of Star Wars Art

Star Wars original art, a galaxy not so far far away…
 
Such a crazy series of events led me to Celebration 4, i couldn’t explain it if i tried.  Suffice to say it resulted from some Shakespearean drama between me and one of the wholesale companies i worked with.  However it happened, i wound up there.  And the beauty of it is, i met one of my favorite people in the world, Mark Chiarello, while is was there, who has become a close friend and artist client of mine (check out his website www.markchiarello.com)  Most of my time at C4 was spent with my close friends John and Andrea Alvin.  John, who had done over 200 movie posters and was already very famous for them, was promoting the official C4 poster, which he had done, and a Star Wars limited edition he had done for the event.  We had such fun together, and spent time with Tsuneo Sanda, another Star Wars artist, and up and comer Randy Martinez, who had created the other official C4 poster, and who is now also a close friend of mine, and whose original art i represent exclusively.  I also met his gal pal partner Denise Vasquez, who is a gazillathreat, visual artist, actress, musician, philanthropist–(check out her site www.denisevasquez.com) Both of them are now creating great Star Wars art and now Randy is creating one of the official Star Wars posters for C5!

 

 

LukeVaderReflect

Meanwhile, it occurred to me that it might be an exciting and good idea to have a booth where fans and collectors of John Alvin’s art could come during C5 and meet and talk to Andrea, John’s wife, and see the last of John’s Star Wars art that is available for sale.  Andrea and I have come together in partnership to support and promote the legacy of John’s work, and part of that is to meet, greet, and sell to his Star Wars fans who have been so good to him.  

 

Let me tell you about Star Wars fans…You who have read my blogs know that I absolutely LOVE the Harry Potter collectors and fans.  They are an erudite, enthusiastic, gracious, and articulate bunch.  Well, the same goes for the hardcore fans of the Star Wars movies.  Of course, both have two sets of collectors, the ones without two dimes to rub together (often young, and in the case of Star Wars, sometimes basement dwellers) that are genuine and love the properties wholeheartedly, and the ones that own or work for huge computer companies, or build the space station, or solve the quandaries of astrophysics etc, who buy the big ticket items, travel to the European cons, and write blogs that are read worldwide (HP blog writers, you know who i’m talking about!) Of all the collectors in the worlds of collecting, and I know most of them, Harry Potter and Star Wars are two of the very best most loyal fan-bases.  Given that, and my own love of those two sagas,  it was only natural that i would build a clientele for original art from those properties.  From Harry Potter, i’ve been able to uncover the most beautiful art created for both the books and the movies.  For Star Wars, I have found the same is true, with one very interesting wrinkle…Let me tell you what is special about the art of Star Wars…

 

George Lucas. 

 

Seems kind of obvious, i guess.  George Lucas is the reason Star Wars exists.  But in the world of art, especially Star Wars art, he is way way more.  Let me explain.

 

George Lucas buys art.  Not just a little bit of art.  98% of the art.  Even though there are laws against such things, LucasFilm has set something up where if you are an artist who wants to work for LucasFilm, whenever you create art for the franchise, you have to offer your original art to George first.  And George, as you may guess, has a bit of cash.  There are artists, really famous Star Wars artists, who have sold almost everything to him.  Which obviously is kind of awesome.  He supports artists!  

 

But that also means there is very little original art available for the fans.  The deal is, if you create art for LucasFilm in any capacity, you must offer George the first opportunity to buy the original art.  As a result, Tsuneo Sanda, Christian Wagonner, William SIlvers, and many other amazing artists, are very hard to get Star Wars art from, unless the LucasFilm budget has been exhausted at exactly the right time!

 

There is also a very interesting disparity of pricing and popularity between the big daddies of Star Wars art, and the artists that sell their art for nearly nothing.  Obviously everyone wants to create Star Wars art.  So lots of newcomers will create art for nearly nothing.  They create art for sketch cards and sell them online for $100 or $200 or less.  It would take a savvy art collector indeed to be able to decipher who out of that collection of artists might become one of the big daddies over time!  Gratefully for Randy Martinez, and a few others, they have jumped from one to the other, not a little because of George’s interest in their original art!

 

The way LucasFilm has set up the creation of art, if an artist wants to continue working for them, they can’t create art outside of sanctioned images commissioned by LucasFilm.  If they starts doing original commissions and LucasFilm hears about it, they’ll never work for them again.  Great motivation to stay in line! 
 
Jedi

 

And.  Seriously.  What can be better than knowing George Lucas, who created Han Solo, Leia, Jabba and Yoda, would want the art that was inspired by those creations?  

 

It’s not like there isn’t good art available.  Our friends at Acme (you can buy the art online on our website under “cinema, star wars”) have created some great limited editions based on the art George was most excited about.  But the original art–good original art by the artists George collects–that’s hard to get.  

 

That’s why we’re so excited.  We have struck a deal with those artists to sell their art, whatever George and his crew decline, however temporary, to the true and faithful Star Wars fans/hopeful art collectors.  And we’re getting more and more artists all the time.  So.  If you are a fan of Star Wars…give us a call, or stay tuned, because by the time C5 rolls around in August we are going to have emassed quite the awesome collection of original Star Wars art.  
 
Luke on Tatooine

 

We’ll be at Celebration 5 with Andrea Alvin, John Alvin’s wife and artistic partner, and with Randy Martinez, and who knows who else in the world of Star Wars art, and even now we are pulling together gorgeous original art that spans the spectrum of the Star Wars universe.  

 

If you don’t know who Boba is, this isn’t for you.  But if you know an X wing from a Tie Fighter, if you know Tatooine isn’t something you do as a drunken sailor on leave, if Salacious Crumb is more than a breakfast coffee cake…we might be able to hook you up…

 

Yoda

 

Stay tuned.  As usual, we have a plan…and the force is strong with this one…

 

Leslie
ArtInsights

2009 Year-End Animation Round-Up

This afternoon, on January 1st, 2010, i was staring at the fire in our fireplace, and started thinking about the movies i’d seen this year.  I realized what an incredible year 2009 has been for animation features.  When I think of all the artistic expression and talent poured onto the screen,  i feel very proud to be a part of that world, and it fills me with excitement for the future of animation.  From Pixar’s poignant “UP”, to the gorgeous yet thoroughly creepy movies “Coraline” and “9”, the beautifully executed and charming “Fantastic Mr. Fox” and reinvigorations and reinventions of 2D classic animation of Miyazaki’s “Ponyo” and Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog”, this year in animation has been absolutely amazing.  Such talent and beauty should be lauded, rewarded, and thoroughly appreciated, and the aforementioned movies were just the major releases.  Imagine what they were doing at the universities and in studios across the world…

 

I started selling animation art in 1988, right before the “new golden age” at Disney, with “The Little Mermaid”, “The Lion King”, and the other new classics.  Of course, i’ve been a fan of cartoons my whole life, starting all the way back to when i lived in Positano, Italy and Paris, France.  All the Disney movies and many of the cartoon shorts showed there, teaching me early that animation was universal.  At my gallery ArtInsights I get daily affirmation of the universality of animation with the visitors we get  from places like China, Finland, Scotland, and Indonesia, who know the characters  Cinderella, Mickey Mouse, and Bugs Bunny, among others…  In the time i’ve been selling and promoting the art of the animated film, the industry has changed significantly.  I have watched the Pixar revolution alter the way computer animated cartoons are seen and appreciated, Stop motion animation has gained respectability through the genius of Henry Selick and Tim Burton.  More and more traditional film directors are embracing animation films as part of their filmography, attempting to articulate their aesthetic through the medium, as Wes Anderson did to great success this year with The Fabulous Mr. Fox.  The same is true for actors and actresses now actively choosing to voice characters in animated films.  Of course the financial proposition of creating a successful feature length animation film means getting the biggest names involved as possible, but clearly enthusiasm by these big names to be considered or thought of first for starring roles has increased as the artistry of these films has become more universally accepted.  

 

As to the movies themselves, they are as real and deep, as or perhaps more filled with meaning as their live action counterparts.  I’d love to see at least one of these movies listed in the best film oscar category.  I have my own favorites….I have a lot of loyalty to “The Princess and the Frog”, having interviewed several of the lead animators and loving New Orleans as I do.  The backgrounds and visual effects in this movie were more beautiful than even i was expecting.  Every song was great, and the leads were wonderful, especially Anika Noni Rose.  I can’t believe the box office totals haven’t been higher, as witness the great disparity between it and the new chipmunks “Squeakwal”, although i’ll have to say i haven’t seen it and probably won’t see it…call me a cartoon snob, i admit it.  I’m hopeful the international sales will be much higher and will lead to its ultimate success, because a lot is riding on it, no less than the future of 2D animation at Disney.  Coraline is spectacular in every way, and although it creeped the hell out of me, I think i could watch that movie 100 times.  The colors were vibrant, the story flowed easily, and there were layers of meaning that allow both children and adults to walk away in contemplation, and the movie stays with you.  I think Coraline will be much like Nightmare Before Christmas in it’s longevity and cult to mainstream following.  This places Henry Selick even higher in my esteem as a director.   “UP” was interesting in that I went to see it more because I had to than any genuine enthusiasm for the storyline or visual appeal,  but walked out shocked at how wonderful and deep it was. Visually stunning, yes, even more so than Wall-E, and more colorful, although that was in part the difference in story.  The fact that Ed Asner, an actor i respect and love, was one of the leads also got me to the movie theatre, and as usual, he was not a disappointment.  There was a poignancy to his story, and such growth in his character.  I loved that, because he was older, so that was a great lesson to older viewers, as well as a goal to stay open for younger ones.   

 

“9”, “Ponyo”, and “Fantastic Mr. Fox” point to the power of auteur directors and their skill of storytelling.  FIrst time feature director Shane Acker, Japanese national treasure Hayao Miyazaki, and independent darling Wes Anderson are the artists responsible these three films, and they definitely brand these releases with their unique aesthetics.  Miyazaki is responsible for some of the best animated films to come out of Japan.  Although his movies have never been seen as “just animation” in his home country, his studio has a huge share in the responsibility for expanding the acceptance and love of the animated feature film worldwide. Not all his cartoons have been revoiced for english audiences, but more and more of them have plans in that direction as they are released.  (his two most recent movies are Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke) Having the long standing personal label as “the Japanese Walt Disney”, it makes sense that Disney has been collaborating for some time now with his Ghibli Studio.  Wes Anderson is known for his independent live action films like Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, and The Royal Tenenbaums.  One of my favorite directors Martin Scorsese is a big fan of his movies, and he is in crowded company, so the fact that he has added a stop motion animated movie to his filmography is exciting.  It means he thought it was an important addition, a way to expand his knowledge of filmmaking, and he’d be right.  I think his love of the craft, the fun he has creating all his movies, shows on the screen for the entirety of Fantastic Mr. Fox.  Shane Acker is a first time feature animation direction with 9. Time will tell if he will be the hot director many believe he’s destined to become, but he sites influences German animator Christoph Lauenstein and the Czech artist Jan Svankmajer, who also inspired Tim Burton and Terry Gilliam, so that’s a good sign for his future, and a sign of his dedication to learning and expanding his artistic perspective.  He was involved in all aspects of the feature, very auteur, but supposedly very collaborative as well.  I forgive the confusing ending for the gorgeousness of the movie as a whole.  

 

Also in 2009, animation made two big splashes in the art world. The one man retrospective show at MOMA, “Tim Burton”, is the largest show ever to feature a filmmaker’s art (http://www.moma.org/interactives/exhibitions/2009/timburton/ ). The largest collection of original animation art ever featured in a museum show is at the New Orleans Museum of Art, in “Dreams Come True: Art of the Classic Fairy Tales from the Walt Disney Studios”  (http://www.noma.org/dreams.html).  

 

My experience of and desire for animation being seen as real art stems from the many times people new to ArtInsights in the years we’ve been open and after 30 seconds in the gallery, do a 360 degree twirl and ask, “are there any galleries with FINE ART in the center?”.   I’ve also been shuffled from department to department when sending press releases to the Washington Post:  from the arts section to the movie section to the children’s and back again…We once had Marc Davis and Mary Costa, one of the most famous animators in the history of Disney, a Disney “Legend”,  and animator of Maleficent, and the voice of Sleeping Beauty herself, and we didn’t even get listed in the arts calendar.  That was about 10 years ago.  This last year has given me more expectation of the art form being accepted as a whole.  I am a little surprised, however, at how little press the show in New Orleans got.  When John Lasseter said he wanted the next big show featuring art from the animation research library inside Disney, where more than 60 million pieces of original animation from the history of Disney are stored and catalogued, to be held at MOMA, he knew what he was talking about.  The amount of press the Tim Burton show got surpassed the NOMA show by about a factor of 100!

 

Now would be the time to say that, as Oscars go, i’m rooting for UP and Coraline.  I loved The Princess and the Frog, and urge you to see and support it, even though Disney is big business, not independent.  Supporting 2D going forward is supporting the melding of the old and the new, the hands on artistry with the innovative.  UP, though not as much my long term personal favorite as Wall-E or Monsters Inc, featured a story that fearlessly showed loss, grief and neglect, as well as families made, not born.  It was flawlessly acted and visually stunning.  and funny.  I want it to get at least nominated for the Oscar.    Coraline is so quirky and yet so beautiful.  I absolutely predict it will be a longterm favorite and its fans will grow steadily over the years.  If it gets nominated or wins best movie, i’d be beyond pleased.  I’m so excited about what the release of these movies in 2009 means for the industry.  

 

Note to directors, both new and established:  Animation can be part of your the future in the movie industry.  You can bring whatever you want to it.  
It can be creative….artistic…fearless…funny…innovative….  

 

But i’ve been saying that for years.

 

 L.
tim burton artinisghts

Experiencing the Tim Burton One-Man Show

 

TIM BURTON AT MOMA: New Exhibit of over 700 pieces of The art of Tim Burton!

 

A celebration of “stepchild” art, a stubborn adherence to a unique vision, and a big fat kiss to individuality.

 

It’s the last day in November and after mulling over the gorgeous new museum show at the Museum of Modern Art, I’m finally sitting down to write about it. It’s the night before Disney plays the new Christmas special “Prep and Landing”, the new show Disney insiders believe will be an instant classic.  This new cartoon owes a huge debt to Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas.  

 

tim burton artinisghts

 

Anyone who knows me at all knows i have been a fan of Tim Burton’s work for a long time, all the way back to Frankenweenie.  I saw Nightmare Before Christmas in 1993. (or as we call it–with apologies to the Disney owned ABC– “NBC”)  I saw it on opening night, and saw it multiple times.  The first time i remember wondering, “are they ever going to stop singing??”,  then I grew to adore all the songs.  I remember making a special trip to the Disney store to buy all things NBC at the time, finding boxer shorts and a tie.  I was an NBC fan before it was cool, and believe me it took quite some time to be the cult favorite with the diehard fans it has now.  So when “Prep and Landing” becomes an instant classic, they’d better write a thank you note to Tim Burton.  

 

I watched the short video interview of Tim Burton the day before Thanksgiving.

 

Burton talked about how, unlike many kids, his teacher supported and encouraged his unique style of drawing and the subject matter he was drawn to, so all day on Thanksgiving I kept feeling so grateful to the great teachers of the world.  My dad is a teacher, and I had some wonderful free-thinking openminded teachers as a kid.  I even give a teacher discount in the gallery.  I can imagine how often unique talent and vision is squelched by a teacher or adult who warns they are too outside the norm and trains them away from developing and expanding truly inventive ideas.  Such was not the case with Tim Burton, and the movie viewing public and fans of art are all the better for it.  The press release by MOMA (a work of art in itself..) says the show “brings together hundreds of artworks and film related objects to trace the trajectory of Burton’s creative imagination.” The curators, who had access to Tim Burton’s entire personal collection, seem to have crawled into his mind and come back out with these 700 pieces to show for it.  What a strange trip it must have been!  
 

 
There are several things that struck me most about the show as a whole. One is   how often he created far more as a visual artist than just to get his ideas down onto paper.  There are many pieces of art that seem to be part purpose, part whimsy.  The image of a martian, his robes painted with sparkly red paint.  As a costume or character study, the sparkles are seriously superfluous, but wonderful nonetheless!  Some images that have multiple drawings on them seem to be part doodle, part  model sheet.  It seems often in his work he is in the flow of creativity, creating to create, and if the resulting images aid in a current or future project, he’s all the happier.  

 

There is a cohesive quality to Burton’s art, consistently evoking the themes of outsiders misunderstood as villains, the crushing uniformity and homogeny of suburbia, and celebrating the genres of classic horror and 50s scifi.  

 

I always think it’s a good sign that a director uses the same collaborators over and over in their work, and Tim Burton is definitely one of those directors.  He has partnered on multiple occasions with production designer Rick Heinrichs, and costume designer Colleen Atwood, both of whom are Oscar winners, and many soundtrack fans know Danny Elfman through the many Tim Burton movies for which he has created scores.  There are pieces included in the show by both Heinrichs and Atwood, and Elfman’s music is played throughout the exhibit.  There are also pieces by the great storyboard artist/screenwriter Joe Ranft, who’s career was cut short when he died in a car accident in 2005.  

 

About the show:  The sheer volume of art is daunting.  Visitors enter through a big Tim Burton created creature mouth, and walk a long hallway down which multiple screens are looping “The World of Stainboy”, a series of cartoons created in 2000 by Burton, based on characters in the book “The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy”. 
I was pleased to see, as i came in and out of the show that day, so many people sitting and watching each episode from beginning to end.  If you go I recommend you watch them, because they aren’t easy to find elsewhere.  The hall opens into a dark room with some glow in the dark paintings and a large sculpture in the corner. 

 

Then you walk though a door and enter the first main gallery.  This part of the show is broken up into 3 parts.  It starts out when Tim himself was just starting out, with early childhood drawings as well as images he created as a teenager.  This part is called “Surviving Burbank”.  There are many pen and ink drawings, some films he shot on a super 8mm, and a children’s book he created and submitted at Disney, where he dreamed of working. (!!)

 

 The second section is called “Beautifying Burbank”, which was also the name of an art contest he won that was sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce.  This section shows his progression as an artist, and features some of the drawings he created while apprenticing at Disney.  At this point in the show, I already got a sense of just how prolific Burton is, how much he has always seemed to depend on his art to guide his vision and express the many (often dark) rooms in his imagination.  My eyes were assaulted in the best possible way with bright colors, and gray scale pen and inks.  Hundreds of drawings, along with fully rendered paintings, sculptures, and screens showing his many animated and live action shorts surround you as you continue through the show to the third section, “Beyond Burbank”.  This section features examples of not only Tim Burton’s art, but work by collaborators Colleen Atwood, Stan Winston, puppet craftsmen Ian Mackinnon and Peter Saunders, and the design studio of Carlos Grangel.  There are costumes, props, and puppets on loan from Disney, Warner Bros., and Fox, from Nightmare Before Christmas, Beetlejuice, Corpse Bride, and Mars Attacks, among others.  For fans of movie memorabilia, this will be their favorite section.  There is a whole section on the bottom floor with a display of 29 large polaroids Burton created (just for kicks, apparently…) between 1992 and 1999.  There is also a collection of movie posters in the theatre lobby galleries.  A reindeer topiary stands in the sculpture garden, as an ode to “Edward Scissorhands”.  Throughout the exhibit there are also 7 brand new pieces Burton created just for this show.  

 

There are definitely moments throughout the show where whether you’re a lover of fine art, a fan of Tim Burton, or just a movie lover, your jaw will drop.  It is so much fun!  

 

For me the best part of it is the way the show makes most everyone feel connected to the art by their memories of seeing one of the movies it represents.  I know this feeling is evoked often in my gallery when a visitor sees a Bugs Bunny sketch, or a cel from Snow White, or a painting created to make Star Wars.  Kids come in and see, sometimes for the first time, that art can be a very personal thing, connected to something they understand or remember from their childhood.  Tim Burton’s art does that, whether it is expressing to you his long love of classic horror movies, teenage alienation, or some movie of his you’ve seen expressed for the very first time in a story sketch or character study.  If art is meant to inspire and evoke a feeling, the Tim Burton show succeeds mightily!  The whole show reminds me of the scene in Nightmare Before Christmas where Jack is trying to explain Christmas to the folks of Halloweentown.  Tim Burton seems to be trying to help explain a completely different and beautiful world.  He seems happily determined to explain his  different way of looking at life to a world that can’t see it without his help, all through his art…

 

I’m left with a strange mix of joy gratitude pride and resentment, because I’ve been showing animation art, and art by Tim Burton, and from Nightmare Before Christmas, for 22 years now. I heard some visitors i encountered on the first member preview day–the same type of folks who until very recently would come into my gallery, look around, and announce, “oh.  you sell children’s art.  Are there any real galleries in this shopping center?”  are now being overheard while examining a Tim Burton original sketch for Nightmare Before Christmas saying “oh. I see the influence of the German expressionist filmmakers…”  oye.  or yea.  

 

There are two new exhibits,  “Dreams Come True” at the New Orleans Museum of Art, and the Tim Burton show at MOMA happening at the same time this year, after very little representation of film and animation art in museum shows.  The Tim Burton show is the first ever one man show of film and illustration art at MOMA.   I hope this signals a greater acceptance by the art community to welcome what i call “stepchild art”, art not cool enough to be outsider, not traditional enough to be accepted, into the many artistic genres long embraced as “real art” by the art critics and art snobs of the world.  I also hope, as i am an eternal optimist, that in the near future some teacher somewhere will recall one of these shows and think of the artistic genius a teacher long ago allowed to blossom in Tim Burton, and support the quirky nontraditional art of some budding artist.  Who knows who’s future MOMA show we might be attending as a result?

 

In the meantime, celebrate your own appreciation of individuality and unique vision.  Do yourself a favor and scurry your eight monster legs or your striped socks on up to NYC to see Tim Burton at MOMA.  Your eyes and your hearts will thank you!
 TimBurton tunnel

 

 here’s me at the entrance, with all my press info. into the belly of the beast!   sweet! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

this is the piece in the corner of the dark room.  Tim has always been a sucker for all things carnival… 

 

 topiary burton

 

 Here is the topiary in the sculpture garden.  Just in time for the holidays!

 

 

 

 Burtonsketch

 

 Teen goths everywhere would no doubt faint at the sight of this awesome doodle spectacular.  Our favorite director’s mind made ink! 
 

 

 

 

 

TimRogerson with everyone

Grading Disney’s D23 Convention

It started months ago…when we heard from our superconnected Disney folks they were planning something really big, a sort of Disney version of San Diego Comic-con, through the new fan group D23.  Should we go? Some of the art galleries who do what we do go to all the cons, they have their own walls, they ship their art and their salesfolks, and either boom or bust.  The deciding factors vary…some cons are better than others…

 

We’ve done a very few. and we’ve sold tons of art and we’ve sold nothing at all.

So we were thinking, what could we do? We love our Disney clients.  I know a lot and have been doing it a gazillion years.  We always love finding new clients… what could we do?  

 

Lately we’ve had quite the time finding vintage Disney that we can trace all the way back to the studio, and I have to be able to do that when i sell vintage art.  The wider awareness of animation as “real art” has made collectors accept and turn their focus towards Disney interpretive art:  I mean, they have come to look beyond their family rooms, and accept Disney into their living rooms and bedrooms as well. and fine art interpretations of Disney subjects have allowed wider placement of the art in their living spaces…

 

This has been happening in no small part because of the company licensed to create and market the Disney interpretive art, Collectors Editions, headed by MIchael Young.  A serious Disney insider, he saw the changing tides while still with Disney, and has made a great business of promoting interpretations of Disney subjects by fine artists, some of whom have come from other genres, some of whom are longterm Disney artists.  

 

We’ve been, to be honest, doing incredibly well with their artists at our gallery for some time now.  We have sold more images that have turned into limited editions than any other gallery.  We still sell vintage Disney cels, although they have to be researched within an inch of their lives.  Of course, as you know we do a swift business in the art of Harry Potter and Star Wars–and we’re expanding into other movie and illustration art, when we find amazing artists, which we’re always searching for…but as far as D23 goes, we thought we’d do well selling the Disney interpretive art.  

 

I was pretty sure there were tons of potential collectors that had been to the Disney parks and seen or bought the Disney Fine Art limited editions, but didn’t know the originals were available or accessible.  Our clients tell us stories that the “cast members” at the park stores never believe them when they say they have the originals to what’s hanging on the store wall…I thought, if they don’t know, how many collectors aren’t aware that they have access to these originals?  

 

Michael Young knew us when we first opened our gallery almost 16 years ago, when in our first year we were asked to be on the Disney advisory board and won “Rookie of the Year” from Disney for doing so much business in our first year.
So, by virtue of our long standing success and Michael’s knowledge of my and MB’s business philosophy/wicked classiness, we asked for and were gratefully given an exclusive to represent the original art for the official Disney  interpretive artists in our booth!  

Collectors Editions definitely took a gamble with us.  They gave us over 90 pieces of art, much of it original, and sent all the artists over to our booth, (most of whom are really good friends of ours, its true…) to meet collectors.  That’s some kind of trust and faith in our success and we were honored by it.

 

Meanwhile, in all the time we are planning all this, rumors are circulating within the collector community that the convention is going to be an unholy, unfocused mess.  Even a close Disney insider friend of mine voiced concern–You see, right after the announcement the convention was going to happen, Disney laid off a bunch of middle and upper management, many in the special events departments.  Ouch!   

But as Disney is wont to do, they pulled it together incredibly well just in time.  Although the marketing outside California could have been way better, it was still well attended and enjoyed by the majority of the collectors with whom i spoke.

So…what happened there, who was there, how’d we do?  

 

First let me say i had both MY Michael, (known in these blogs as MB)  and my lil sis Coco helping me, which was a first.  Usually MB stays in the gallery, and I’m doing these on my own, which, he has said many times, is nearly impossible and kinda nuts.  After Comic-con i lost my voice for 3 weeks.  And i’m a singer.  Cautionary tales should be heeded!

So we closed the gallery, put a note on the door, forwarded the phone, and went to Anaheim…A few hitches excepted, we all got along really well.  we’re family, so we weren’t sure….who was going to be the drama queen?  our answer?  apparently no one!

 

D23DAY minus 1:
We had to get up at 5 am and drive from Anaheim to Canoga Park, which should take 45 minutes or so, but this is LA!  So 2 1/2 hours later we get the van, load up all the art, and get it back to Anaheim–2 1/2 hours later!  Now i understand my friend Tony always saying “i’ll be there somewhere between 10-2pm…well, the weather was gorgeous the whole time…I have to assume that’s what inspires people to keep living there.

We put all the art up.  It looked gorgeous, and we were the only booth in the retail section of the show (“collector’s showcase”) with actual walls.  ($1400, if you’re curious) Proud of ourselves, we went back to our room at the Candy Cane Inn, the only family owned hotels near Disneyland, had some wine and cheese, and went to bed…oh.  and then got up at 12:00 am to meet some potential new clients for drinks!

 

D23DAYS:

An incredible line, as you’d expect, to get into the show, which opens at 8 am.  An incredible line to get into the “Dream Store”, which it turns out is a major weak link, having mostly the same stuff you get elsewhere. Big missed opportunity for Disney…A client actually called it “pedestrian”!  We give that section our first grade, and lowest score, a C-!

We had a mellow beginning in our neck of the woods, which was an enormous room sectioned off between retail businesses and Disney consumer product licensees promoting, but not selling, their wares.  Radio Disney was in the middle of the room, blessedly far from us, because they played Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers incessantly.  I like them both just fine the first 100 times i hear one of their songs…

 

I forgot to mention something REALLY cool.  

Out of all the galleries in the world, we got selected to premiere a new kind of limited edition called “Courvoisier Miniatures”, which this famous restoration guy Ron Stark is creating using all the original colors and paints and equipment they used at the time–for more on that, go  HERE….We got the worldwide exclusive for the art, which was amazing, and the piece is lovely–but it needs explanation or it just looks like another pretty piece of cel art.  It’s a cel of Snow White with chipmunks.  Hand inked, painted, airbrushed, it is representative of an era, an homage to a gallery that saw Disney cels as art from the very beginning.  We did well with it, although i will say it might have helped, if– anytime during the presentation Ron did on Courvoisier and restoration, which was PACKED with people–he mentioned there was a piece was for sale…(!) I mean, as Dr. Evil would say, “throw me a bowie, here!” 

 

 I would try to explain the history and importance of Courvoisier and what the art was and passersby took me for a carnival barker.  We sold it to our clients, to people who already knew us, or already knew about Courvoisier.  The art series is going to take such time and effort i hope it will serve to educate a larger audience than just that! His presentation was interesting but i’d still give it a C for not even mentioning the art at the end of it…

 

Anyway.  There were LOTS of galleries specializing in vintage animation art there.  One gallery friend had a Disney interpretive artist, Mike Kupka in their booth, with his originals, but only our gallery presenting so much interpretive art originals.  We did have to continually explain that they WERE the originals, but once we did, Disney fans were really into it.  They enjoyed meeting the artists, learning about the art, talking about their collections, and just appreciating–whether or not they could afford the art–the beauty, creativity, and skill that a diverse group of artists can bring to subject matter they know so well.  

 

We made some great new clients, enjoyed talking to collectors, and especially to our booth guests!  Tim Rogerson, who had created the official art for D23, spent a lot of time signing art and talking to fans.  He had really long lines of fans waiting for his signature, and his pieces sold out every day.  By Sunday he looked like he could use a break, but he was a trooper.  Tim gets an A for both art and effort, for sure!  He was always either at an event, on his way to one, or coming back from one!

 

We had a beautiful piece he did of Simba, Timon and Pumbaa from Lion King that some new clients were interested in, so i introduced them to Tim–He said,  “Lion King is the reason i’m an artist.”  Apparently he saw the making of the Lion King right before the movie came out, and then saw the movie. That night decided he wanted to be an artist.  Nice, story, Tim!  Later our new friends/clients jokingly asked if we’d planned that meeting!

 

We met the artist Noah for the first time, who is large (6’5) and lovely–someone inside Disney had said how hot he was, so of course to me that meant he had to prove himself.  It turns out he’s a really close friend of Mike Kungl’s, and he was incredibly sweet to our client’s baby, without pretending.  kids can always tell…so that’s enough for me to like him. He did a presentation on the Dream stage, which was next to the Dream store, and while he painted, he talked about how he chooses his colors, how he sees his paintings progress, and was incredibly comfortable and gracious with his crowd of fans.  His presentation–and, ladies, his smile– get an A!

 

Once we met him and liked him, we sold the heck out of him!  We are also excited about a new style of art he’ll be doing involving classic movies, that will be really cool.  If you love Casablanca, or Wizard, or Hitchcock, or whatever, you’ll be really into it too.

Jim Salvati, the movie production painter who’s work we sold so well at the Harry Potter convention, stopped by, and we talked about the movies he’s worked on and what he’s doing next, which as usual is top secret.  James Coleman, who created backgrounds for Little Mermaid, Black Cauldron, Fox and the Hound, and lots of other Disney movies, hung out with us in our booth with his new limited edition.Michael loved talking to both of them, and they had some amazing stories.  Jim Salvati worked with Andy Warhol!  James Coleman worked with some of Disney’s nine old men!

 

Movie poster artist John Rowe came by for a while and we sold several of his pieces.  His collectors really like him because he’s into symbolism and can explain everything he does in his art.  Mike Kungl came by, and hung out quite a long time with us.  Then Noah came by and that’s when i discovered what close friends they are!  We’re very good friends with Mike and his wife Dana, and showed up at our booth with a brand new piece from a series he’d been up until 4 in the morning painting, called “Tink-tini”–It got a HUGE amount of attention.  He’s been all over the entertainment news lately, which has made his art more expensive, so he created this new series that collectors could more easily afford, by painting a great image of Tinkerbell in four colors.  (good idea, good marketing!) Of course i’d only give my lovely artist friends an A.  Not a grumpy or pretentious one in the lot, only happy, grateful, lovely guys.  The artists who were supposed to show up and didn’t get an incomplete.  Remember those from college?  You’d get them for not showing up?  Enough of them and you’d fail.  Who says there are no parallels to real life in the educational system?

Meanwhile, outside our little world, there were big events with John Lassiter, where they played the whole of the new 3D Toy Story.  There was a Princess and the Frog panel with all the major animators where they showed 1/2 an hour (!!) of the movie. I don’t know much about the events with ABC and Disney tv stars, although i know Miley Cyrus was involved, and there was some kind of fracas at the Kelsey Grammar event involving security and police, which somehow Donny Osmond restored order to and then the fun resumed (D turned into B+, extra credit to Donny!)….The highlight for most attendees was a panel with Johnny Depp and Tim Burton promoting Alice.  That was loved by everyone who went to it–A.  For each of these events they took everyone’s phone into a “phone and camera check” , so some of the events were poorly attended that followed the biggies, and i heard it took a LONG time to get them back, so we give that part a C-.  

 

They showed Nightmare in 3D, had a Sleeping Beauty showing with her voice, Mary Costa, and a Beauty and the Beast showing with her voice, Paige O’Hara, who premiered her own paintings of Belle that i sold at the show! I spoke to her quite a bit and she was delightful, and so wonderful with her fans.  That all gets an A, but you can’t give Mary Costa anything else, really.  She rocks.

I know lots of other events happened, but we were there by 7:30 in the morning and were so busy we rarely left the booth–especially when we had artists there!  The consensus is everyone had a great time.  There were a few glitches here and there, and it could have been better attended, i think they said 40,000 attendees.   Hopefully next year it will be better promoted from the onset.  I think it has a good chance of turning into a pretty fair approximation of the Disney version of Comic-con long term, but it took them many years to become what they are now… which some would argue is:  bloated, overpressed, overhyped, overcrowded–(remember my Harry Potter panel had 175 seats and 600 in line!) so we all hope Disney’s D23 will grow slowly and carefully, and keep offering new and exciting events for the fans every year.

 

After D23 was over and we took back the art we hadn’t sold, and drove into LA to stay at the awesome and laid back swanky Sunset Tower Hotel.   I saw Elizabeth Moss, who plays Peggy on the awesome show Mad Men when we pulled into the hotel driveway!  We had $20 martinis, saw a bunch of movie stars and musicians, and i got to hold a new friend’s Emmy!!  

MB, Coco and I finished our trip by going down to Santa Monica with good friends.  Randy Martinez, a Star Wars artist and recent author of “How to Draw Monsters”.  I have all the original art from it and will be premiering in late October in honor of my favorite holiday!  We also loved seeing his partner Denise Vasquez, with whom he’s writing a book on sketch cards.  We all met up with Mike Kungl and Dana, and Mike Kupka.  That’s two Mikes we’ll be doing more art shows with, so check back on that…!  We took Coco to the Santa Monica pier for the first time, and put our feet in the ocean, thanking LA for a great and successful show.  Santa Monica and the beautiful weather get an A too.  We expect to at D23 next year breaking this year’s record for making sales and great new clients.  Afterwards i’ll have find someone’s new Oscar to hold!  

If our experience with D23 were a high school report card, we could almost get a full ride at the college of our choice.  Almost.  but they might expect us to plump up the aspects that are lacking.  And so we say Disney, plump up the aspects that are lacking, and your fans will give you a free ride.  

Of course, maybe you should all go next year and decide for yourselves.  I am notorious for finding something to like in everything…. I grade on a curve.  

 

  here is a collection of pics from D23: 

 

TimRogerson with everyone

Tim Rogerson with fans

 

 

rogerson signing

 

drawing rogerson

Tim Rogerson and drawing

 

 

Lots of artists d23

Michael, Coco and I with a bunch of awesome artists

 

 

Noah painting

Noah painting

 

 

Michael with Coleman

 

Michael talking to James Coleman

 

Paneld23

 

Disney Fine Art panel

 

 

A Valentine to the Potter Fans

Azkatraz, my trip deep into Harry Potter fandom.  I’m still having delightful flashbacks…

 

Ah, Harry Potter.  I thought i knew you….I’ve read all the books, more than once, I know all the art, the mythologies around the books and their creation, and i myself was a “professor of the magical arts” at one of the midnight book releases..Mind, I’m no “Pottaskalla”….but I’ve seen the kids waiting in line, met many collectors, I even went to last years Harry Potter convention, “Portus”…i was only there for about 36 hours, which was just enough time to meet a few fans, see a few costumes, and mock the seriousness and intensity of the few panels and seminars i heard were taking place while i was there…Grab your wands and pointy hats and let me take you to the “Hogwarts School of Harry Potter fandom”…. This June, I actually  got to go to a preview even before the movie premiere in NYC, and took part in interviews of some of the actors, movie industry insiders, and fans who make the franchise what it is.  So I got a taste of the enthusiasm of the fandom first hand.  I stood in the same line the fans were in (while my partners in crime were on the red carpet, I stood behind the barriers and interviewed the fans, 3 of whom had gussied up in hopes of making it into the premiere! aaah, youthful optimism.  They didn’t get in, but I was rooting for them!) 

 

Little by little I was being ushered into the “Hogwarts banquet hall” if you will.  I have said the Harry Potter fans have always been my favorite to deal with.  and really, that’s saying something.  I include my Star Wars collectors, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, Vintage Disney, Warner Brothers….etc.  All of which have something to recommend them, but the Harry Potter fans have always been literate, astute, glompy (that, my uninitiated friends, means those who hug you so hard in their enthusiasm they knock you down) and no matter how much or little money they have, they’ve always appreciated the art of Harry Potter.  I’ve sold many reasonably expensive HP pieces to teachers, teenagers, and retired folks on a tiny budget–They’ve driven me–in their appreciation and by their desire to own a bit of HP art–to new concepts on layaway!  So when I was asked to present “the official art of Harry Potter” at this year’s Harry Potter convention “Azkatraz”, I thought i had some idea what i was getting into…I thought I knew Harry, but i was in for a rude disapperation–or rather, a fantastic experience of open mindedness and unmitigated joy.  

 

First off, my friends at Clampett gave me a worldwide exclusive premiere of two pieces by Mary GrandPre, and they happened to be the most beautiful pieces, my favorites they’d ever released.  Secondly, my friend Jim Salvati, who had worked on several of the movies, had offered me some original paintings he made while the movies were in production.  He called it “analog art”.  You see, they don’t really use physical paintings in movie production anymore.  It’s a dying art.  So that was cool.  And then they were releasing these freaky movie still images with special mats of 10 of the major characters from the movies right in time for Azkatraz. So I was bringing pretty good game.  (kinda had to, since they had made me a guest of the convention, my first time guesting!!) 

 

I arrived, after having corresponded with a variety of the volunteers who were involved in putting the con together.  Stina was guest coordinator, Heidi was a major orchestrator of the con as a whole, Gwen had been making the physical event actually happen in real time, and Flourish was the coordinator of the panels and seminars.  Those are just a tiny few of the folks who put the event on and made it fun and exciting for the 1000 or so fans who came.  I cannot believe the hard work these people did out of love of Harry Potter!  They were awesome! There’s this thing called shipping.  or slash.  which is when characters who don’t belong together in what they call “canon” (ie the actual collection of books) get together.  It’s the job of the “fanfic” writers, of which there are many, some of which are FAMOUS in the HP world,  to make the pairing make sense.  The biggest group is called “Snarry”, followed closely by “Drarry”.  That’d be Snape/Harry, and Draco/Harry.  (hence the name “slash”) Before you get all oogie and click away, they actually make it work.  They even make Draco/Hermione work.  Now THAT’S a stretch!  (ummm, unlike the other two?) There’s tons of art relating to the slash too, and there were many meet ups and seminars about it as well.  A friend of mine who’s a fan of slash recommended the following to me, i haven’t read it yet, but you can check it out if you’re curious…supposed to be great…read at your own risk! http://www.swish-n-flick.net (site has since been erased) This may seem really weird to you, but let me relay a story that i hope puts all of it in perspective…

 

I live in DC.  We have a fairly strong gay community here, but as with many other parts of the country, that community has to constantly take a stand to work towards equal rights.  I spent almost a week with a bunch of folks that never brought up whether they were gay or straight.  I became pretty good friends with one gal who I only found out was gay the last day I was there.  It never came up, and never needed to.  Deep in the fandom of HP, that’s the way it is.  Maybe because in the books the sexuality of the characters has never mattered, it doesn’t matter in the fandom either.  One guy I met explained it by saying in the HP world, everyone wizard and witch gets a wand.  There’s automatic equity between the sexes.  You feel this most definitely in the fandom.  There are also way more strong opinionated and independently minded women in the Harry Potter fandom as well.  People of all shapes, sizes, and opinions are welcome there.   That’s not to say there isn’t dissent!  Many of the panels and seminars get quite heated!  Don’t mess with these fans’ opinions and perspectives on “canon” unless you can back up your own!  

 

Then there’s the wizard wrock. This is music by bands who write songs in which there is always a reference to something in the Harry Potter world.You, not being HP, would NOT BELIEVE the seriousness and passion the fans of these bands have.  They are HUGE stars in the HP world.  There was an article on the front of the arts section of USA Today featuring the biggest bands in wizard wrock.  Harry and the Potters, Draco and the Malfoys, Remus and the Lupins, the Ministry of Magic, and the House of Black are some of the biggest names.  I went to a “slumber party” where several of the bands played acoustically and their fans knew every single word of every song.  If these musicians want to have squeeing girls falling all over them, they’re in the right business!…

 

They all seem nice enough, and they are no doubt really true fans of the books–many of them are serious classically trained musicians who just want to bring together their love of music and their love of the Harry Potter story.  When I got to talking to them, and they discovered i was a musician, they all said i HAD to start a wizard wrock band…   what do you guys think?  Should i start “Luna and the Lovegoods”?  (is there really any other name?) more info on wizard wrock at: 

http://wizrocklopedia.com/bands/band-listings

 

So how did i do, you might ask?  We wrocked! (sorry…)  I’m happy to say we sold a bunch of stuff, (helping us in making July our best month ever in business!) and whether folks bought or not, they loved the display, and apparently learned some stuff in my talks.  I love that we sold a lot of art there, because it means they really appreciated the images and connected to them-and also we are now giving a percentage of the profits to Kids Need To Read charity–It was funny in my display i kept having the Snape folks and the Defense against the Dark Arts folks coming by asking why i’d put the Snape image in the front and Dumbledore in the back, or vice versa…I just said the Snape fans scared me more!  

 

I should mention some of the other presenters… Lev Grossman, who reviews books for Time Magazine and who’s become a friend, and is lovely!  (shameless plug alert!  check out his new book “The Magicians”–getting awesome reviews, yea, Lev!), Henry Jenkins, who teaches at MIT, and has been at the forefront of comparative media studies and international transmedia–meaning all the cross pollenating of media outlets like web, print, tv, etc., and how it has effected news and entertainment–sounds dry but he was amazing!  (check out his blog…www.henryjenkins.org ) Chris Rankin, who plays Percy Weasley in the Harry Potter movies, and is delightful–he is going to be a great movie producer one day, i predict.  He made me one of his twitterbuddies, and the next day i got tons of HP fans as followers…I’m thinking, really?  Will i get that kind of reaction if the Dalai Lama and i tweetfriend? 

 

That boy is FULL of great stories and has a huge sincere and kind heart, you could do worse than fancrushing him…There were many other really cool presenters, like Eddie Newquist,  who talked about his role in developing the hugely successful new Harry Potter exhibit about to go to Boston from its first stop in Chicago.   For more info on who was there and what they did, or if you want to find out about next year’s convention at the opening of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Florida, check out www.infinitus2010.org

 

If you’d like to hear me playing Lucius Malfoy in a Harry Potter fanfic podcast, check it out on itunes under spellcast summer: Live from Azkatraz. (oh, the humanity!…) I’m heartened to see such an enthusiastic and open group of people of all ages getting together and celebrating the books that have brought them so much joy, and was honored to be part of it even for just a few days.  I made some life long friends (you know who you are!!!) and felt respected and appreciated in the art we represent, which isn’t always true…

 

I absolutely loved being where one set of books brings together freaks, punks, brainiacs, and every other would be clique cliche into one big literary lovefest. The Azkatraz premiere of Half Blood Prince, –seeing the movie with the biggest fans is the way to do it!! Leslie and Chris Rankin, such a nice fellow! The “art of storyboarding” workshop i had the hubris to lead…but it was great and so much fun! Deb and Denise from Kids Need to Read and I at the ball.  They were wonderful and are now new great friends of mine! 

 

We made $1700 in the auction for them and a bunch from our sales throughout the convention! Erin Pyne and I at my little exhibit of “official Harry Potter art”…I know I’m wearing a snakeskin pattern but I’m not Slytherin, I’m Ravenclaw! Or as i found out at the con, i’m Griffinclaw.  (that’s when someone fits right in between two houses.)  

cindy cover

Great Retta Scott!

     cindy cover

 

Such a gorgeous collection of art, had to put it up here and show it.  It is impossible for me to get anything cooler or better–but i dare the universe to try! 

 

I got all this art as one collection, and it is all done by Disney Legend, Retta Scott!  (I had the Cinderella storybook as a kid, and it’s pretty much the holy grail of Disney storybooks.  I know that’s inside Disney, who knew this companion book was floating out there just waiting for me to find it and send it to an appreciative home!) HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY THESE.  I love my gallery and I love my JOB! 

 

IMG 9021

 

HERE’S SOME INFO ON RETTA, THE ARTIST OF THE COLLECTION… 

Retta Scott (23 February 1916 – 26 August 1990) was an American artist. She is notable as the first woman to receive screen credit as an animator at the Walt Disney Animation Studios.

Scott was born in Omak, Washington. She graduated from Roosevelt High School (Seattle, Washington) in 1934. She received an academic scholarship from the Chouinard Art Institute, so she moved to Los Angeles, California. She spent much of her free time sketching wildlife at the nearby Griffith Park zoo. Her ambition was to mold a career in Fine art.

 

cindyorighouse

 

As she readied to complete her Institute training, the Institute’s director encouraged Scott to apply at Disney Studios. She was hired in 1938 and assigned to the Story Department, where the ambitious Bambi project was being developed. Her stunning sketches caught the eye of Disney himself, so when the film went into production she was assigned to animate scenes of hunting dogs chasing Bambi’s mother. This was a significant coup for the young woman, since at the 1930s-era Disney studio, women were considered only for routine tasks: “Ink and paint art was a laborious part of the animation process, and was solely the domain of women.” She worked under the film’s supervising director, David D. Hand, and was tutored by Disney animator Eric Larson.

 

IMG 9026

 

After Bambi, Scott contributed to Disney features Fantasia, Dumbo, and Disney’s version of The Wind in the Willows, which was shelved due to World War II and released in 1949 as part of the film The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. In addition, Albert Becattini’s website of animator credits lists her as an animator on the 1942 Donald Duck cartoon releases Donald’s Snow Fight andDonald Gets Drafted, along with an unnamed Goofy short (1945). Retta appears on-screen in the Disney live-action studio tour film The Reluctant Dragon, alongside other Disney animators such as Wolfgang Reitherman in the portion of the film where Robert Benchley tours the Disney Studio’s life-drawing classroom (where the model that day happens to be an elephant). Retta presents Benchley with a caricature of himself as an elephant. She was laid-off from Disney during a periodic studio downsizing in late 1941, (partially as a result of the infamous Disney animators’ strike in the summer of 1941) but was rehired by the Disney Studio in 1942 to work in the Story Department. Retta Scott left Disney in 1946 and moved to the East Coast, where she continued to freelance, illustrating Disney publications such as the Big Golden Book edition of Disney’s Cinderella. She remained active as an illustrator for many years and returned to film animation with The Plague Dogs, directed by Martin Rosen, released in 1982. Around that same time in the early 1980s she also worked for the animation studio founded by Bud Luckey, The Luckey-Zamora Moving Picture Co. in the San Francisco Bay area. That studio later became a part of Colossal Pictures, and Luckey later became part of Pixar.

 

IMG 9016

 

Some writers have occasionally confused Retta Scott with another Disney artist with the first name Retta, Retta Davidson , who worked at Disney from 1939 through 1966.

 

Scott merited a chapter in The Little Big Book of Disney (“Retta Scott: Beauties and Beasts”, pp. 303-319) by Monique Peterson, and also a chapter in Walt’s People – Volume VIII (“Retta Scott”) by Didier Ghez.

 

 

IMG 9020

 
FROM HER DISNEY LEGENDS PAGE:
Retta Scott (Animation)
Inducted 2000

Though Retta Scott’s career at Disney was brief, she left an indelible mark as the Studio’s first woman animator, receiving screen credit on the 1942 classic “Bambi.”

As “Bambi” former supervising animator Frank Thomas recalled, “Retta had an astounding ability to draw powerful animals. She seemed to have a keen understanding of their moods and attitudes.”

 

cinderella fullcov

 

Born in Omak, Washington, on February 23, 1916, Retta graduated from Seattle’s Roosevelt High School in 1934. She moved to Los Angeles to attend Chouinard Art Institute on scholarship and spent much of her free time sketching wildlife at the nearby Griffith Park Zoo.

 

While her heart was originally set on a fine arts career, the school’s director encouraged Retta to apply at Disney, and in 1938 she joined the Story department working on “Bambi.” Her stunning story sketches and character development caught the attention of Walt Disney and director Dave Hand, so when the film went into production she was assigned to animate scenes featuring hunting dogs chasing Bambi’s mother.

 

cindyorighome         cindyorigbefore    

 

As she recalled, “I developed the hunting dogs into vicious, snarling beasts…running and scrambling, trying to climb the cliff and sliding back ….”

After “Bambi,” Retta worked on “Dumbo,” and the weasels in the Wind in the Willows segment of “The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad.” In 1941, she appeared in Disney’s feature film “The Reluctant Dragon,” starring Robert Benchley.

Later that year, when the Studio hit a slump, she and other artists were laid off. Retta returned to Disney’s Story department in 1942, when the Studio was producing U.S. military training films during World War II. Four years later, she resigned from Disney to move east with her husband, a U.S. Naval officer.

 

IMG 9017

 

She continued to contribute to Disney as a freelance artist, illustrating “Cinderella” (A Big Golden Book) and “Cinderella Puppet Show,” published in 1950. The cover of the “Cinderella” Golden Book was released by Disney Art Classics in 2000, as a color serigraph with gold enhancements, under the Art of Disney Storybooks line.

 

Creative Director of Disney Publishing Worldwide, Ken Shue, described Retta’s work. “Her ‘Cinderella’ storybook illustrations are very stylized,” he observed. “I keep the ‘Cinderella’ cover framed on an easel outside my office. It’s a very detailed, complex composition that informs and inspires our art staff daily. It’s show-stopping.”

 

IMG 9015

 

In 1980, Retta worked on The Plague Dogs, a non-Disney animated film directed by Martin Rosen. She also helped animate television commercials produced by Luckey Zamora for such products as Cookie Crisp Cereal.

 

Retta Scott died August 26, 1990, at her home in Foster City, California.

Comic-Calm: How to Survive San Diego

DO YOU FEEL INSANE TRYING TO GET PREPARED FOR SDCC? TRY NEW CALM-I-CON!

 

I’m imagining a commercial for some new drug made especially for us gallery owners who are freaking out about the HP con and the San Diego Comic-Con.  

You know, maybe Jon Favreau or Kevin Smith is the spokesman, and it’s called 

“CALM-I-CON “….

 

Kevin Smith says, “Use new Calm-i-Con for “CON STRESS”  Side effects include patience, a wicked sense of humour, and an ability to get everything done in less time than you ever thought possible!

 

Because when your partner of 10 years says you’re “ill tempered” and that you should “have a drink”, its time to take stock about just how much con stress is oozing into your interactions with the ones you love…

 

Mind, i’m aware i’m not brokering peace in the middle east, I mean, i sell cartoons for a living after all…but the folks who broker peace in the middle east DO buy from me, (umm, well, at least one of them does) and so i know animation, illustration, and film art is important in at least one way that inspires and motivates me to find as many new and interested clients as i can: the art i sell can reframe someone’s day in seconds, pull them from the intensity of their work day, be that peace talks, experimental brain surgery, wall street trading, or 3 screaming toddlers.  

 

My personal experience with the power of animation and film art is from when my sister was killed.  I was told about her car accident while i was at work.  (which i wouldn’t recommend…the gallery had a pall over it for a long time even the most insensitive of foot traffic could discern) At first, for about six months or so, I could barely look at the cels of Winnie the Pooh, Bugs, etc.  It was like they were mocking my grief.  At the time I remember wishing i worked anywhere else…but within a few months after that i starting really understanding the power of the art.  It was like the movie “Sullivan’s Travels”. (google, imdb, or watch that if you don’t know the reference..it’s worth your time. Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake, directed by Preston Sturges) No one could ever talk me out of the power i believe cartoon and film art has to bring people joy and a feeling of warm nostalgia.  Even the art from Alien and Blade Runner does that!

 

The point is I take selling this art, and my place in this corner of the art community very seriously, and I’d certainly rather be the one to bring the above mentioned joy than one of my competitors, not because i aim to own a house in Hawaii, but because we give to charity, tend to be less hard sell, strive to educate our clients and have really wonderful partnerships with the artists and collectors/folks from whom we buy art.  To be found and appreciated by new clients is a huge part of success in small business.  

 

Well, the cons are a major part of finding new clients.  In my case, they are also a way of educating them.  I’m going to be presenting or taking part in 3 classes and panels relating to Harry Potter, one shows the history and design of the official art released by Warner Brothers of Harry Potter, and one is a workshop where we’re storyboarding 

either HP fan fiction or scenes from Deathly Hallows.  I’m also on an HP panel at Comic-Con (which i’m excited about.  We get special stinking badges) So this stuff requires preparation, packing up, compiling, shipping…Oh. We also got 2 worldwide exclusives, AND our gallery is the only one in the whole of Comic-Con that will have original art by John Alvin, which is getting harder to find by the day!  So there’s the preselling, (don’t want my current fabulous clients to get wadded undergarments)…

 

sidebar:  The weirdest thing about my job is as i’m building the website, writing our blog, twittering, facebooking, finding new art and artists, interviewing for my videos, creating new educational series vids, etc, i remember…

 

oops.  I’m supposed to SELL ART!  

 

Anyway, this lead me to being so stressed out some of my clients/friends came to the gallery in a sort of cartoon art sales intervention, and went about the place doing my bidding so i could get everything done in time.  Did i mention there are only two of us?  Which leads me to ask, why do small businesses that only have a few people running it pretend they have a huge staff?  Why isn’t it more impressive that everything runs and is successful with only a few making it all happen?  Doesn’t that prove the business runs well and smartly and as a client you’ll be dealing directly with ONE WHO KNOWS THE ANSWERS?  I love that we don’t have a bunch of people working for us.  (except in the last few days!) 

 

There are only a few of us in the animation and illustrative art sales business doing truly well at this moment.  Two of them are run by trust fund babies.  In our gallery there isn’t a cash infusion waiting in case we make bad choices or no one shows up.  But our clients DO show up.  And they tell their friends.  And people find us on the web.  (working on our site!  know its hard to maneuver!   please just call me if you can’t find what you want…as god/goddess is my witness, we are soon  going to have a site that is educational AND easy and searchable!)

 

Meanwhile, tell your friends.  Watch my vids relating to HP…    We loved  the different cool t shirts we created that my little sister and I wore–the one that says “hey, fan boy, soap is sexy” was created by a client as a gift.   

 

Wish me luck. Don’t worry.   I’ll be taking my “Calm-i-con”

 

L

 

New Website

Happy Holidays!

Monday, November 29, 2010

Jedi knights, stormtroopers, Disney princesses, wizards and witches, instead of sugar plums are dancing in my head…

it’s Pagakwaanchristmakah!

(or HOLIDAYS AT ARTINSIGHTS)

The last two months of the year have been blowing by so fast i can hardly catch my breath.  It’s been so long since i’ve visited or called, my family thinks i have a drug problem (which, if you count caffeine, i do, and if addiction to it is wrong, i don’t want to be right…) and my friends think i’ve dropped them all because i’m now “an old married woman”.  Gah!  I tell them to think of me as being in graduate school–(otherwise known as Apple one-to-one) so i can learn how to make a better web magazine–which means learning to build a website and become a film editor!

Actually we’ve been very busy working on our new website and making it different than anything else out there, somewhere people can buy art, learn about the artists, with educational and informative specials like our upcoming interview with Stuart Craig, the production designer for all the Harry Potter movies!  I’ve also been working on our press credentials so we can be in the center of new movie releases, get interviews and expand awareness of all things movie art.

With the sell out of the Mad Hatter limited edition from Alice in Wonderland, i feel the world of film art and the acceptance of it as authentic and worthy art is beginning to happen, and since i was at the beginning of animation art being considered real art, which only really happened about 15 years ago, i think i see the light at the end of the tunnel, and it’s a love train for production and interpretive movie art.  

Obviously we still love and sell animation art, but we are only willing to represent art we can trace and authenticate from the minute it left the studio, and that’s getting harder to do since a few folks out there are doing unnecessary restoration–we REALLY want to educate our clients what to look for and how to proceed and genuinely believe this will lead to more loyalty by our clients.  It’s worked so far!  

So now the task and labor of love is to build together the informative and fun side of our site– that we hope will excite and inspire film animation and illustration art fans and really just fans of film in general enough to keep seeing movies new and classic, to allow it to enhance and inform our lives in a positive way–with the gallery side, which eventually will have quite a diverse collection of art and a growing collection of artists exclusive to us as well as the artists who have been at the top of their field and collectors already know about.   We always have tons of art that’s not on the site, so call us if you’re looking for something for the holidays that’s special and exciting.  We have been doing a ton of commissions this year and we are proud of the number of amazing artists who are working with us or we are planning to partner with in the near future!  

We are very serious about believing education and information (in the form of our web magazine) will expand our horizons and our loyal clientele.  And we’re having fun!  Speaking of fun, as I am getting my press credentials together i actually got to interview the aforementioned Stuart Craig, 3 TIME OSCAR WINNER for Dangerous Liaisons, The English Patient, and Gandhi who i called in England and spoke to for an hour–and let me tell you i was extremely nervous!  I had one day to prepare and so thank goddess i’d already seen all his movies (except one movie named Saturn something or another..) It all turned out all right, AMAZING in fact! and i’m typing up our interview and i’ll also have a recording of it as a podcast.  

All that did was make me thirsty to do more interviews and educational series pieces so we’re working on some more and on getting more artists involved with it!

Now:  What are holidays like at ArtInsights???

For one thing, as a retail person for the last 23 years, I carry an ipod with me everywhere right now so i don’t have to hear traditional holiday music.  We have more than 1000 holiday songs on our computer and yet we only play them from the 21st to the 24th.  The rest of the time we play what i’ve compiled as on the edge, non-traditional yet lovely songs that give visitors that warm fuzzy feeling.  I’m going to be starting a playlist on December 1st and adding one song a day of songs from that list for those of you who want something different to listen to!  

(because sadly, there’s no “Rage Against The Machine” or “Nine Inch Nails” Christmas album…)

Also, we are open on Sundays and stay open late when there are folks around.  

Why?

Because this is the time when almost everyone who comes in the gallery says “Wow!”  and “This is the coolest place ever!” and lovely things along those lines. I’m not going to go through days where people ask “Is there a REAL art gallery in this center” and not lap up this enthusiastic appreciation like a st. bernard!  

and we also seem to get our very best vintage Disney art at around the last week of November, i maintain this is because some collectors want to get stuff even crazier and more awesome than the stuff they show me (like key set ups? stuff I think is the rarest of the rare!  but go team!)  So i get gorgeous art and my collectors get to see stuff they never see, get a chance to buy stuff they never have normal access to, and so i have to find the perfect homes for them.  

Examples?  A 6 sheet from The Reluctant Dragon in great condition.  that’s 81 x 81 inches.  Or art i’m getting that has an original background by Claude Coats from Lady and the Tramp.  I love this time of year!!

We put together a show of both Star Wars and Harry Potter art because we love the 501st (that’s the group of stormtroopers and Darths who do charity events in costume..) and they support Toys for Tots so we wanted to do a show where we donated a percentage to that–consequently we had our friend and intern Zabrina dress like Princess Leia and marched in the holiday parade with them and they were an amazing hit, as you’d expect…as many adults get giddy as kids around them, and if you can’t find something to be giddy about during the holidays, you’d better hunker down in your hovel with a pup named Max and start planning your midnight attack on Whoville.

and our friends at the HP Alliance have been doing such an amazing job we wanted to support them with the movie coming out so a percentage of profits from that art is going to them.  

The Reston Town Center looks amazing during the holidays and i really don’t think there’s anywhere quite as pretty as shopping centers go–So if you live anywhere near us, come visit during the holidays.  You won’t hear Perry Como or Brenda Lee, but you will have a warm fuzzy experience and i’ll love seeing you, whether you’re old or new to us.  

Happy HOLIDAYS!

Leslie and MIchael

John Alvin Show

Happy Holidays!

Monday, November 29, 2010

Jedi knights, stormtroopers, Disney princesses, wizards and witches, instead of sugar plums are dancing in my head…

it’s Pagakwaanchristmakah!

(or HOLIDAYS AT ARTINSIGHTS)

The last two months of the year have been blowing by so fast i can hardly catch my breath.  It’s been so long since i’ve visited or called, my family thinks i have a drug problem (which, if you count caffeine, i do, and if addiction to it is wrong, i don’t want to be right…) and my friends think i’ve dropped them all because i’m now “an old married woman”.  Gah!  I tell them to think of me as being in graduate school–(otherwise known as Apple one-to-one) so i can learn how to make a better web magazine–which means learning to build a website and become a film editor!

Actually we’ve been very busy working on our new website and making it different than anything else out there, somewhere people can buy art, learn about the artists, with educational and informative specials like our upcoming interview with Stuart Craig, the production designer for all the Harry Potter movies!  I’ve also been working on our press credentials so we can be in the center of new movie releases, get interviews and expand awareness of all things movie art.

With the sell out of the Mad Hatter limited edition from Alice in Wonderland, i feel the world of film art and the acceptance of it as authentic and worthy art is beginning to happen, and since i was at the beginning of animation art being considered real art, which only really happened about 15 years ago, i think i see the light at the end of the tunnel, and it’s a love train for production and interpretive movie art.  

Obviously we still love and sell animation art, but we are only willing to represent art we can trace and authenticate from the minute it left the studio, and that’s getting harder to do since a few folks out there are doing unnecessary restoration–we REALLY want to educate our clients what to look for and how to proceed and genuinely believe this will lead to more loyalty by our clients.  It’s worked so far!  

So now the task and labor of love is to build together the informative and fun side of our site– that we hope will excite and inspire film animation and illustration art fans and really just fans of film in general enough to keep seeing movies new and classic, to allow it to enhance and inform our lives in a positive way–with the gallery side, which eventually will have quite a diverse collection of art and a growing collection of artists exclusive to us as well as the artists who have been at the top of their field and collectors already know about.   We always have tons of art that’s not on the site, so call us if you’re looking for something for the holidays that’s special and exciting.  We have been doing a ton of commissions this year and we are proud of the number of amazing artists who are working with us or we are planning to partner with in the near future!  

We are very serious about believing education and information (in the form of our web magazine) will expand our horizons and our loyal clientele.  And we’re having fun!  Speaking of fun, as I am getting my press credentials together i actually got to interview the aforementioned Stuart Craig, 3 TIME OSCAR WINNER for Dangerous Liaisons, The English Patient, and Gandhi who i called in England and spoke to for an hour–and let me tell you i was extremely nervous!  I had one day to prepare and so thank goddess i’d already seen all his movies (except one movie named Saturn something or another..) It all turned out all right, AMAZING in fact! and i’m typing up our interview and i’ll also have a recording of it as a podcast.  

All that did was make me thirsty to do more interviews and educational series pieces so we’re working on some more and on getting more artists involved with it!

Now:  What are holidays like at ArtInsights???

For one thing, as a retail person for the last 23 years, I carry an ipod with me everywhere right now so i don’t have to hear traditional holiday music.  We have more than 1000 holiday songs on our computer and yet we only play them from the 21st to the 24th.  The rest of the time we play what i’ve compiled as on the edge, non-traditional yet lovely songs that give visitors that warm fuzzy feeling.  I’m going to be starting a playlist on December 1st and adding one song a day of songs from that list for those of you who want something different to listen to!  

(because sadly, there’s no “Rage Against The Machine” or “Nine Inch Nails” Christmas album…)

Also, we are open on Sundays and stay open late when there are folks around.  

Why?

Because this is the time when almost everyone who comes in the gallery says “Wow!”  and “This is the coolest place ever!” and lovely things along those lines. I’m not going to go through days where people ask “Is there a REAL art gallery in this center” and not lap up this enthusiastic appreciation like a st. bernard!  

and we also seem to get our very best vintage Disney art at around the last week of November, i maintain this is because some collectors want to get stuff even crazier and more awesome than the stuff they show me (like key set ups? stuff I think is the rarest of the rare!  but go team!)  So i get gorgeous art and my collectors get to see stuff they never see, get a chance to buy stuff they never have normal access to, and so i have to find the perfect homes for them.  

Examples?  A 6 sheet from The Reluctant Dragon in great condition.  that’s 81 x 81 inches.  Or art i’m getting that has an original background by Claude Coats from Lady and the Tramp.  I love this time of year!!

We put together a show of both Star Wars and Harry Potter art because we love the 501st (that’s the group of stormtroopers and Darths who do charity events in costume..) and they support Toys for Tots so we wanted to do a show where we donated a percentage to that–consequently we had our friend and intern Zabrina dress like Princess Leia and marched in the holiday parade with them and they were an amazing hit, as you’d expect…as many adults get giddy as kids around them, and if you can’t find something to be giddy about during the holidays, you’d better hunker down in your hovel with a pup named Max and start planning your midnight attack on Whoville.

and our friends at the HP Alliance have been doing such an amazing job we wanted to support them with the movie coming out so a percentage of profits from that art is going to them.  

The Reston Town Center looks amazing during the holidays and i really don’t think there’s anywhere quite as pretty as shopping centers go–So if you live anywhere near us, come visit during the holidays.  You won’t hear Perry Como or Brenda Lee, but you will have a warm fuzzy experience and i’ll love seeing you, whether you’re old or new to us.  

Happy HOLIDAYS!

Leslie and MIchael

About Us

{loadposition sliderabout}

LOCATION:
ArtInsights is located in Northern Virginia, just outside Washington D.C.,
close to Dulles International Airport.
The gallery is owned and run by Michael Barry and Leslie Combemale.

 

THE OWNERS:
Michael is an honors graduate of The Corcoran School of Art in Washington D.C. and is a musician and composer. He has been a master framer for more than 30 years and has represented animation art since 1979.

Leslie began representing animation art in 1988, and she founded ArtInsights with Michael in 1994. She has a background in art history as well as studying jazz vocals with noted musician Ellis Marsalis.

 

BACKGROUND:
During the gallery’s first year in business, The Walt Disney Company invited ArtInsights to join its Disney Preferred Gallery Advisory Board, an organization comprised of only twelve members worldwide, and won the coveted “Rookie of the Year” award, still on display at the gallery all these years later!

 

OUR PHILOSOPHY:
Our philosophy at ArtInsights is simple:
If we represent animation, film and illustrative art honestly and with integrity, collectors will hear about us, and we will continue to grow. Creating a web magazine (www.artinsightsmagazine.com) that educates and enlightens collectors and fans, is one way we show our deep commitment and love of art and creativity –our desire to expand awareness and acceptance of animation, film and illustration art and the artists who create it inspires us every day.

 

WHAT WE HAVE:
With animation art, our Gallery specializes in original production art, particularly Disney art prior to 1960, but has access to art from all animation studios, including Warner Brothers production art.
We look forward to helping clients, new and seasoned, to cultivate their collection with a well thought-out wish list, so every piece purchased is a welcome and prized addition to their household. Please don’t hesitate to call us today with any questions or requests you may have.

We have delved headfirst into the world of original and limited edition film art, and are adding wonderful new art and artists as we find them.  Of course our heart will always belong to John Alvin, so check out his work on the fansite we created for him at www.johnalvinart.com.  We have exclusive partnerships with some wonderful artists, as increasingly shown on our website.  We create commissions for our clients expressing their unique artistic vision and perspective, celebrating the best and most evocative imagery in film history.

We are proud of our gallery and believe you’ll enjoy working with us and respect our keen eye for great art and dogged pursuit in the acquisition of it for you!

 

Check Out Our Gallery Blog!

 

WHY ARTINSIGHTS:
TOP TEN REASONS TO BUY FROM ARTINSIGHTS

1. We’re honest, straightforward, and enthusiastic about what we do.
2. We’re about education, hence the ACES ArtInsights collectors education series.
3. We’ve been selling animation and film art for 23 years, ArtInsights has been open for 16 years, and were on the art advisory board for Disney.
4. We have lots of special shows with guest artists, many of which are the first in the country or are showing worldwide exclusive art.
5. We do a lot of research on every piece we sell and stand behind it all.
6. We think charity connection is an essential part of success as a small business, and we work
with many charities in and outside the gallery.
7. We are a worldwide exclusive gallery representing the original art of John Alvin, and have exclusive art from many well known artists: Mary Grandpre, Tommy Lee Edwards, DC comic art director Mark Chiarello, Randy Martinez, and many more!
8. We are always finding new art and up and coming artists for our clients–not what’s already been made flavor of the month, but beyond next year’s flavor, –a flavor that’ll taste great for years and years! (like an art equivalent to the everlasting gobstopper in Willie Wonka!)
9. We have had more art commissions turned into limited editions by the Disney fine art program
than any other gallery.
10. We never give up on finding the art for our clients, if it takes a day, a year or 12 years!

I showed the Top Ten List to one of our best clients and she said,”Very good, but you forgot to add
‘We find art that is not to be believed, even for our fussiest clients!!’ ” And, yes – she is my fussiest client (said with love, missy, & you know who you are!).

 

RETURNS:
Strictly speaking, we don’t allow collectors to return art.  However, we want you to be happy with the art you buy from us, so if you get it and it isn’t exactly what we say it is, give us a call.  That, of course, has never happened, but we’d at least like you to know we absolutely stand behind everything we sell!  If the art you buy from us is a gift, we allow returns for credit within 14 days.
All layaway downpayments are non-refundable.  Special orders and commissions are not returnable unless clearly not what was requested, so make sure they want the art if we’re ordering it or having it made especially for them!

 

FOB ORIGIN:

Buyer pays for shipping.

 

HOURS:  
Monday through Friday 10 am to 6 pm
Saturday 12 to 6 pm
Sunday by appointment or random happenstance.  (usually 12-4 in those cases)
We will come in outside these hours when called upon, and we are of course MIA in the case of the occasional convention, interview, vacation, etc., but we check our emails!  

 

 

Thanks for wondering who we are and why we do what we do!

Holiday Parade at ArtInsights

 

Just came back from playing Belle in the Reston Town Center holiday parade.  I asked my sister Coco to play Cinderella.  She looks so much like her, she could be hired at Disney.  We also had the 501st Legion with us in the parade, and they are always wonderful to have–helpful, very interested in charity (we love that!)…

 

I’ve played Snow White (there are pictures…), Maleficent, the Queen from Snow White, Cruella, A fictitious professor at Hogwarts, a pirate on Jack Sparrow’s ship, Princess Leia, the Grinch, Bugs Bunny, and now, Belle from Beauty and the Beast.  

 

Just when you wonder what good going to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in England will do…since when I dress as Snow White I look not a little like a drag queen I have discovered kids just love princesses, and they won’t notice that instead of 15 she might look around 35.  Today as Belle I get spontaneous hugs. Bless them, I say…

 

We have been so busy this year we haven’t had time to update what we’ve been doing on this blog, but let’s just say we’ve spent lots of time out at conventions and special events…

 

like: 

I was at the Harry Potter premiere in London for the very last movie and walked a red carpet that is now in the Guinness Book of World Records for its length.

 

We had our very first panel for The Art of the Hollywood Movie Poster at the San Diego Comic Convention.  (It went so well we had folks who had sat in on other panels just to be able to get into ours!! a great sign!)

 

We were also at Leakycon, went to Paris and the South of France to visit animators and go to a family reunion, and went to D23, where we were the only ones who had ONLY original art by Disney interpretive artists.  

 

I’ll tell more when I ever write “ArtInsights: The World Tour.”

 

All of it went incredibly well, and we’ve had our best year so far!  

 

We have big new things in store, and have plans to work with more wonderful artists we met on our travels, but just getting through the year doing what we planned was amazing!

 

We haven’t been actively open as much this year, because we’ve been gone so much so for those of you interested in visiting us, give a call and make sure we aren’t off somewhere doing ambassador stuff for the art of film, or visiting John Alvin’s wife Andrea, or some such fun thing, because we’d love to see you!

 

Meanwhile, one of the big additions to our offering (and workload!) is we started including movie reviews on our web magazine more and more, and Cinema Siren is featured on Patch now, not just a few favorite Patches, (like Herndon.patch.com and kingstowne.patch.com, both of which are edited by good friends) but often we are featured on tons of Patches all over Northern Virginia and Maryland, and we’ve had up to 200,000 people read one review so far.  Should we aim for a million???

 

Not sure where that will take us, but we know it will expand awareness of film art, which is good, since it takes a long time to write them, and we take it seriously!

 

We are just finishing up the opening of Chuck Jones’s 100th Birthday kick-off, (an honor from the family) and we were involved in the first Washington West film festival (I was a juror) and we represented Chuck’s family at the festival.  I also voted for some amazing animated films and met some great film makers.

 

We’ve interviewed some great artists this year, and covered some great events (like the Harry Potter premiere!) and look forward to doing that more and more!

 

Our big new deal this December is some John Alvin art we’ve actually been authorized to sell for his estate, and we are trying to get as much of it on our site as possible.  We want also to try to change to Paypal International so we can take payments from all over the world without a headache for the clients, and so we can be assured everything gets processed smoothly for everyone.  We’ll let you know when we get all that together!

 

Keep checking back to see more of John’s art, like originals from Blade Runner and E.T. when he was working on the posters for those films.  VERY exciting!

 

New artists are joining us all the time, but we are only a few of us here, so we add them slowly!  Check back for that too.  We also have a new intern, Victory, so if she answers the phone, say hi to her, she’s a great help to us.

 

Lastly, if you appreciate our web magazine, my interviews, reviews, and our educational perspective, both inside the gallery and out in the world, tell the world about how wonderful we are.  That’s how we get our best clients, is through word of mouth.  Usually once people start buying from us, they find we are jolly good fun!!

 

Thanks and happy holidays!

 

Leslie (and Michael!)

 

 

 

Things are Warming Up in the Art World!

 

 

As it says in “Hello Dolly”, (and Wall-E!)  “It only takes a moment”… for everything to change.  Brrrrr, it’s COLD in January… for us life is about finding art no one in their right mind could refuse.  I could say I trust in the universe on that, and maybe that’s true, because invariably we find something spectacular and our clients are beside themselves with glee.  Is it enough to skip headlong through the financial daisies?  Sometimes.  Mostly, though, it’s like hibernation.  We wait and work, continuing our search for new great art and artists we want to represent, hoping we encounter collectors and artists who match their talents and desires.  

 

All hail the thaw–the warming up!  Something about it here on the east coast and here in our gallery leads to fresh optimism, to deals finally taking shape, interests peaking, and new fans and collectors becoming loyal clients here.  It has happened every year.  And this year is no exception.  I’m SO GLAD!  

 

So what about ArtInsights?  As we’ve sprung forward and are moving to summer, what’s new and exciting?  

 

Well, we just returned from a great trip to LA, Burbank and Hollywood, and interviewed a slew of incredibly talented artists–animators and illustrators and film artists.  For the most part we have some of their original work or are representing them in some way, or hope to in the future–and they all have very interesting stories to tell and lessons to teach– 

 

Let me tell you about some of the very talented artists well known in Hollywood and the exciting partnerships we are entering into:

 

        

 

We are working with artist James Goodridge, who is still a working artist in Hollywood, having worked on Sucker Punch, True Blood, HP7.1 and HP7.2, as well as a host of great recent movies.  He created images for Wall-E, and that work is filled with heart and the best of what the movie became.  I discovered i had Mr. Spock as my first love in common with his wife…and his interview was inspiring– this artist teaches how determination mixed with talent is an unbeatable combination!  

 

        

 
 

Things are changing in the Disney interpretive art world as well.  We are just now putting together the interviews for some of the best and brightest artists who have worked inside Disney and we’ll have original interpretive art by them available either by commission or as they become available.  There are artists like Lisa Keene, who has worked at Disney since The Black Cauldron era and has had a hand in many movies over the past 15 years up to and including the very latest, Tangled.  We also talked to art director for The Little Mermaid, Mike Peraza, and will be interviewing him again with his wife, who is also an animator!  Once we heard his influences and experiences inside Disney, you could really see each of these mentors expressed in his own art.  Once again, humble.  and once again, awesome!

As it says in “Hello Dolly”, (and Wall-E!)  “It only takes a moment”… for everything to change.  Brrrrr, it’s COLD in January… for us life is about finding art no one in their right mind could refuse.  I could say I trust in the universe on that, and maybe that’s true, because invariably we find something spectacular and our clients are beside themselves with glee.  Is it enough to skip headlong through the financial daisies?  Sometimes.  Mostly, though, it’s like hibernation.  We wait and work, continuing our search for new great art and artists we want to represent, hoping we encounter collectors and artists who match their talents and desires.  

 

       

 

 

                                 

Also, Acme has stepped up their game in the Disney Studio interpretive art with new artists and images more classically inspired–by artists like the movie concept artist Stephan Martiniere and famed movie concept artist for Lilo & Stitch, Brother Bear and Star Wars William Silvers, who we also interviewed for the web magazine.  Bill has been doing original backgrounds for Disney and Industrial Light and Magic (for Star Wars) and has just begun creating a new series of traditional Disney images, as well as a super funky alternative design style he paints on paper called “birds nest”, which really has to be seen in person to be believed.  Totally all about texture and speed, which is the opposite of the mat paintings.  Both express his artistic passion but in completely different ways.  His interview was so great, and I found he would be very inspiring to new artists and those reaffirming their commitment to their own vision.

 
      
 

While we were in LA we all went to the El Capitan theatre–where Citizen Kane made its debut in 1941, and saw the exhibit by Disney artist Andreas Deja that was part of the release of the movie “African Cats”.  He created images in watercolor (some of which were turned into limited editions) of a variety of African wildlife, with a portion of proceeds to benefit the African Wildlife Foundation.  I interviewed Andreas about his career and heard some great stories and trivia and the video is on the web magazine!

 

   

 

For more information about these artists you can call me or check them out online on our gallery site, as we add new art, and each of the interviews we’ve done!  And of course,  we’ll always add more information and interviews as we find them or conduct them!  Some of the artists we just interviewed aren’t quite ready to be seen yet (Disney gets the first OFFICIAL eyeball) so just keep checking back and we’ll have new surprises showing up often now!

 

Lastly, the folks over at Pixar allowed a few interpretations of their films by Disney interpretive artists, and we got to sell some of the originals–we were very pleased with their images, and since many of these artists are our friends, we love to see the excel.  Check these images out!  They are also on our site, so if you’re into Pixar movies, go look at what is available from your fave Pixar release…(mine are Monsters Inc, Ratatouille, and Wall-E)