LPWire: WDAC Announces Public Day on Sunday, May 18
Walt Disney Art Classics Announces "Public Day" as a Happy Ending to "A Disney Adventure on the High Seas" Sunday, May 18, 2003
2003 Celebration of Walt Disney Art Classics Event Will Conclude With Free “Public Day�? Festivities at Disney’s Contemporary Resortâ at Walt Disney Worldâ Resort in Florida
Walt Disney Worldâ Resort will present a special “Public Day�? at Disney’s Contemporary Resortâ in Florida as the conclusion to the 2003 Celebration of Walt Disney Art Classics entitled “A Disney Adventure on the High Seas.�? Free to the public, the afternoon event will act as the “grand finale�? to the annual gathering of dedicated Disney collectors, which this year will take place aboard a sold-out three-day cruise aboard the Disney Wonder cruise ship (May 15 – 18, 2003).
Presented in conjunction with Walt Disney Art Classics, “Public Day: A Landlubber’s Paradise�? begins at 12 Noon on Sunday, May 18, 2003, on the Fourth Floor Concourse of Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Special guests at the event include Academy Awardâ winning songwriter and Disney Legend Richard M. Sherman, famed Disney Imagineer and costume designer Alice Davis, renowned sculptor Kent Melton, noted sculptor Dusty Horner, popular Disney Design Group artist Ron Burrage and David Pacheco, Creative Director for Walt Disney Art Classics. These special guests will be signing artwork and recent sculpture releases from the Walt Disney Classics Collection, in addition to participating in various presentations.
The afternoon event will be highlighted by the official public premiere of the first three sculptures from Disney’s it’s a small world after all, an entirely new series of porcelain sculptures from the award-winning Walt Disney Classics Collection, based on the beloved Disney Theme Park attraction. Created by David Pacheco, each doll sculpture comes with a “set piece�? that represents the doll’s region of origin. Both the doll sculpture and set piece are sold together and feature a suggested retail price of $99.
The “maiden voyage�? of this new series begins with three initial sculpture releases that include “Joie de Vivre�? (Joy of Life) featuring a little French Can-Can girl and Eiffel Tower, “Serenata�? (The Serenade) featuring an Italian Gondolier in his gondola and “Maeva�? (Welcome) featuring a Tahitian dancer and tropical palm tree. The next three sculptures in the new series will be unveiled in a special ceremony during “Public Day�? featuring Alice Davis (original costume designer for the attraction) and Richard M. Sherman (co-composer of the world-famous song “it’s a small world�?).
For Disney collectors who couldn’t make the “Disney Adventure on the High Seas�? event aboard the Disney Wonder, remaining event related limited edition and logo merchandise will be available for purchase, while supplies last. Unique merchandise offerings may include (subject to availability) Walt Disney Classics Collection sculptures, Walt Disney Animation Art, Disney Fine Art, and books in addition to logo camp shirt, button, t-shirt, tote bag, ball cap, collector pins and mini beanbag plush.
The event will also showcase the official public premiere of two giclee on canvas releases from the Disney Fine Art Portfolio. “Hook’s Ship to Neverland�? by famed landscape artist James Coleman celebrates the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney’s classic animated film “Peter Pan�? (1953) by highlighting Peter, Wendy, Michael and John as they fly in the moonlight over Neverland. “Hook’s Ship to Neverland�? has been published as a limited edition of only 395 hand-signed pieces and features a framed suggested retail price of $1,495.
“20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,�? created by legendary father and son matte painters Peter and Harrison Ellenshaw, perfectly evokes the mysterious underwater world of Captain Nemo and his submarine Nautilus as featured in Walt Disney’s Academy Awardâ winning classic live-action film of 1954. This newly created artwork is a reunion of sorts for the Ellenshaws - - Peter Ellenshaw was the original matte artist on Disney’s film version of “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea�? and his young son Harrison assisted on one of the films more intricate paintings. This new imagery inspired by the film has been published as a limited edition of only 195 hand-signed pieces and features a framed suggested retail price of $1,450.
Walt Disney Animation Art is also represented at the event with an all-new limited-edition sericel entitled “Peter Pan’s Golden Anniversary.�? Created in an edition size of 1,500, the sericel depicts Peter Pan and Tinker Bell as they sail high above in the skies over Neverland, with the menacing Skull Rock featured prominently in the background below. The framed sericel features a suggested retail price of $395.
The Walt Disney Classics Collection is developed and distributed by Walt Disney Art Classics, the art and collectibles division of Disney Consumer Products, which also administrates the popular Walt Disney Collectors Society and oversees the Disney Showcase Collection (a portfolio of high-end licensed Disney collectibles) and the animation art portfolios of The Walt Disney Studios. The Walt Disney Classics Collection is available at fine gift and collectible stores, select Disney Stores, DisneyStore.com, Disney catalog and Disney Theme Parks and Resorts around the world.
For further information concerning Public Day, or for guests who will be unable to attend but want to inquire about “Wish List�? event merchandise ordering (subject to availability) following the close of Public Day, please call Walt Disney Event Services at 407 – 827 – 7600. All merchandise will be available while supplies last.
--Posted March 27, 2003
Source: Walt Disney Art Classics