Disney fans of all ages use all sorts of mediums to create artwork and show their love for film, music, parks and more. 90-year-old Walter Deuschle uses of all things, corks to create his sculptures. His most recent creation is inspired by Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Deuschle and his wife were recently interviewed by Grace Dickinson of Philadelphia’s The Inquirer about his magnificent display.
Pictures via The Inquirer
Meet Walter:
- Walter Deuchule is a retired chef-turned-artist. He’s 90 years old and over the past 15 years he’s made dozens of cork sculptures.
- This Cinderella Castle is not his first Disney creation. More than 20 years ago he took his 4 year old granddaughter to Magic Kingdom. When he returned home he recreated the castle out of sugar.
About the cork sculpture:
- The structure took nearly two and a half years to complete and was finished in November.
- The castle is 40-inches-high and 56-inches-wide and is constructed of 7,000 all-natural corks.
- Cinderella Castle features three stories of ornate details including:
- Towering turrets
- Elaborate stairways
- An entryway with a patterned floor
- Other important details:
- Lighting wired into the castle to illuminate spires and interior walls
- Hand-painted sheets of Plexiglas to resemble stained glass
- Hidden object include:
- Images of Cinderella
- The Seven Dwarfs
- Mickey Mouse
Deuschle plans to display his cork Cinderella Castle at several yet-to-be-determined locations in 2019.
Walter Deuschle slices a cork down to a rectangle.
What they’re saying:
Deuschle’s wife, Mary:
- “He grew up during the second World War. There was no childhood for him like we have here, and my thinking is, this is part of what he missed. It’s also likely why Mickey Mouse remains such an icon for him. He didn’t have the chances and experiences that kids have today.”
Walter Deuschle:
- “Work like this is what keeps you young. It engages your hands but also your mind.”
- “I like the concept of Disney World, where people go and enjoy themselves. The adults become children, and the children just eat it all up. Walt Disney had a vision that goes beyond our comprehension, and I simply wanted to create something with it that I could share with others.”
- “I enjoy painting, but for me, painting is copying. You put your personal feelings in there, but with cork work, it’s this completely adventurous experience. It’s something I do without guidance.”
- “Disney reached out about the sugar [castle] when I first created that, but it was just too fragile to transport. This one is far more structurally stable, so we’ll see.”
What did you think of this sculpture? Do you have any Disney-inspired unique art? Let us know!
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