Interview: Famed Ilustrator & Disney Artist John Rowe

By Leslie Combemale | November 6, 2023

We have loved John Rowe since, well, forever. He has the incredible talent befitting a man with his impressive CV. He’s a movie artist with several high profile images including the poster for Miracle, and a screen-used brochure for John Hammond and his company InGen’s Jurassic Park. He’s an illustrator who learned from some greats …

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Interview with Beloved Disney Fine Artist Greg McCullough

By Leslie Combemale | November 9, 2023

Greg McCullough is one of the most beloved artists working today, and has a strong following of collectors who seek him out at his Disney events throughout the year. He releases art regularly, and those pieces are only available directly through Disney at his events. Greg has been working in the film and animation industry …

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Welcome to ArtInsights 2.0: Our Hybrid Online & In-Person Art Gallery Model!

By Leslie Combemale | October 31, 2023

Welcome to ArtInsights 2.0: A Hybrid Online & In-person Model! What, pray-tell, ArtInsights 2.0 look like? That’s what I’m here to lay down. First, for those of you who might want to know why we decided to close our brick and mortar gallery, here’s an article about it published in The Reston Letter,   Essentially, we …

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Blog Archive

“BATMAN V SUPERMAN: Official Art of DC Comics” Exhibit opening at ArtInsights March 2nd

By Leslie Combemale | March 1, 2016

Reston, VA: ArtInsights Animation and Film Art Gallery is hosting an exhibit of limited edition and original comic book and animation art featuring Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, the characters soon to be the central focus of Zack Snyder’s new movie “Batman V Superman” premiering March 25th. Other popular DC Comics superheroes and villains will …

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“SORCERERS IN SNOW: HOGWARTS IN WINTER” Harry Potter Exhibit will donate a portion of sales in honor of Alan Rickman

By Leslie Combemale | January 14, 2016
Journey to Hogwarts by Jim Salvati

ArtInsights Gallery presents “SORCERERS IN SNOW: HOGWARTS IN WINTER” New Exhibit of Original and Limited Edition Harry Potter Art. In Honor of Actor Alan Rickman, a Portion of Proceeds will Benefit Charities   Reston, VA – ArtInsights Animation and Film Art Gallery celebrates the art of Harry Potter with a collection of original and limited edition art by …

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Remembering Alan Rickman & Celebrating Harry Potter

By Leslie Combemale | January 14, 2016

Yes, the loss of Alan Rickman is felt acutely by lovers of Harry Potter and all those in the HP fandom.  Rickman brought Professor Snape to life in a way no one else could, and created a much bigger audience for the movies out of his many fans.  As much as I loved the books, …

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Cinema Siren’s Top 10 Movie Posters of 2015 (with help from Andrea Alvin and Bill McCloskey!)

By Leslie Combemale | January 1, 2016

Below you’ll find Cinema Siren’s Top 10 Movie Posters of 2015, AS WELL AS added opinions and thoughts from Andrea Alvin and Bill McCloskey–both who were involved in the making of some of the best movie posters in recent film history! Go here to go to the youtube vid. The past is the past.  As …

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Happy 2016 from ArtInsights!

By Leslie Combemale | January 1, 2016

It may well be that Shakespeare wrote that “expectation is the root of all heartache”,  but he also said “all things are ready, if our mind be so”… Being in small business isn’t for sissies, that’s for sure.  In 2015, some great things happened, (50th anniversary of A Charlie Brown Christmas, I’m looking at you!) …

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Star Wars, Disney, Marvel, and DC art Holiday Gift Guide: from ArtInsights!

By Leslie Combemale | December 14, 2015

We put together some gift guides for fans of all stripes this holiday season.  Well, actually, we just posted what really great sorts of images you can get for your favorite Star Wars, princess, or Marvel, or DC, or Harry Potter fan.  That certain movie coming out this weekend is causing quite a stir with …

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Happy 25th Anniversary, Reston Town Center!

By Leslie Combemale | October 12, 2015

“IN CELEBRATION–it’s a NEVER BEFORE AND NEVER AGAIN kind of announcement!” We are letting our “Business Besties” who read our blog, are fans of us, and keep up with our “goings on” know that we are doing something very special, something we’ve NEVER done before, (and won’t do again!), for the 25th anniversary of Reston …

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John Alvin Honored by His High School

By Leslie Combemale | October 4, 2015

A few days ago, John Alvin was inducted into The Hall of Fame at his high school, Pacific Grove High School.  His sister Suzanne Alvin was there to accept the honor and talk a bit about John Alvin and his career.  She spoke to the kids, thinking about what John would have said, and what …

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The Mickey Mouse Club Turns 60: Collecting The Mickey Mouse Club cels

By Leslie Combemale | October 3, 2015

Happy Birthday! The Mickey Mouse Club turns 60! The series began on October 3rd, 1955! My own personal experience with the Mickey Mouse Club is with the cels from this series. As someone who has sold cels from The Mickey Mouse Club since 1988, I’ve had to learn over time about the animated cartoons, characters, and …

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Disney lobby cards: Collecting movie and cartoon history

By Leslie Combemale | September 23, 2015

When I started selling animation art in 1988, there were only five galleries specializing in original cartoon art IN THE WORLD.  That’s right.  It’s hard for some to imagine when no one knew what a cel was, and when the thought that cartoon art was “kid stuff” was pervasive.  Things have really changed.  Most people …

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Sleeping Beauty Production Cels: Why is original art from Sleeping Beauty is so beautiful?

By Leslie Combemale | September 23, 2015

In the course of my career selling animation art and advocating for the value of animation art as a legitimate art form, i’ve discovered collectors of original production art, and even Disney interpretive art, tend to gravitate to movies that are either firsts or lasts.  Sometimes they are aware of the history, and sometimes they …

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ArtInsights at the AFI for Bugs Bunny Anniversary

By Leslie Combemale | August 6, 2015

ArtInsights at the AFI for Bugs Bunny Anniversary! The AFI Silver Theater is showing some great cartoons in honor of Bugs Bunny’s 75th birthday, which happened July 27th, (those carrots are great at keeping a rabbit looking youthful!) and ArtInsights will be there! Leslie Combemale, intrepid ArtInsights co-owner and lover of all things Looney Tunes, …

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DISNEY AND LOONEY TUNES SDCC PANELS!

By Leslie Combemale | June 29, 2015

That’s right!  We have DISNEY AND LOONEY TUNES SDCC PANELS!  Created, hosted, and moderated by the folks at ArtInsights.  We are very excited.  In fact we are SO excited and interested in a having a great panel that we went out to LA and interviewed a few folks about their careers so we could be prepared. …

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Peanuts Art! The 50th Anniversary Celebration for A Charlie Brown Christmas means a once-in-a-lifetime art release!

By Leslie Combemale | June 17, 2015

CHARLIE BROWN, SNOOPY, & PEANUTS EXTRAVANGANZA! My invitation to the big event! PEANUTS ART! I’m so incredibly excited that the 50th anniversary of the Charlie Brown Christmas Special, which is being celebrated next week in LA, means that I get to go to LA and interview animators AND get first access to special art being …

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Naked Little Mermaid? 15K paid. Animation art goes crazy again.

By Leslie Combemale | April 29, 2015

I don’t so much hate saying “I told you so”, as quietly revel in the thought of saying it, especially when it comes to the value and popularity of film and animation art. Remember I was there when no one knew what a cel was, some 30 years ago.  I worked in one of the …

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Star Wars art-Are these the artists you’re looking for? Official artists vs. Fan artists

By Leslie Combemale | April 11, 2015

(art by John Alvin, who did movie poster art for Star Wars) We’ve been in the thick of the Star Wars art world for quite some time…and that world is pretty convoluted.  Here’s how it works There are artists who worked on the movies and are official artists with the Star Wars art licensee: Those …

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