Walt Disney Family Museum April 2013 Exhibits
The Walt Disney Family Museum presents special programming events during the month of April. ThisSan Francisco animation museum will offer exclusive programs and events for the entire family.
During April, visitors will have the opportunity to experience the special exhibition, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: The Creation of a Classic.” April will be the last chance to see this art exhibition in San Francisco, which celebrates Walt Disney’s first feature-length animated film “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” The exhibition showcases more than 200 works of art including conceptual drawings, early character studies, detailed story sketches, and animation drawings. Also featured are delicate thumbnail layout watercolors, meticulously rendered pencil layouts, rare watercolor backgrounds, colorful cels, and vintage posters—all illustrating how Walt advanced the creation of an entirely new art form.
For a deeper look into this classic movie, the Museum will hold the panel discussion “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: The Artistic Vision” on April 13. This discussion will explore Walt Disney’s bold vision for the visual style, costumes, scenes, and settings for his feature-length masterpiece, which is remarkably unified from beginning to end. Achieving this singular effect required the coordinated efforts of dozens of artists and dedicated animators. Historian Donald Crafton comments on the variety of fine art traditions that culminated in the film’s consistent “look and feel” and highlights the contributions of those members of the Disney staff associated with the California Water Color Society. In addition, throughout the month of April, the Museum will host screenings of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” daily at 1:30 pm and 4 pm, except Tuesdays and 4/13, 20 & 27.
For those interested in exploring stop motion animation, the Museum will be holding several programs with the founders of Stoopid Buddy Stoodios, the creators of the modern cult series “Robot Chicken.” Join them for the special event, “Animate Your Night: The Island of Misfit Toys,” an after party celebrating the closing of the special exhibition, “Between Frames: The Magic Behind Stop Motion Animation.” This exhibition explores the evolution of stop motion animation in the United States in special effects, television, and film. The exhibition highlights behind-the-scenes photographs, rare armatures and puppets, and original storyboards from cult favorite films and television including “King Kong,” “Gumby,” “Star Wars,” “Jurassic Park,” “Robot Chicken,” and Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” During the after party on April 26, from 7-10 pm, the creators of Robot Chicken and the founders of Stoopid Buddy Stoodios will present some of their favorite clips, followed by a Q&A. On April 27, a special panel discussion, “The Making of Robot Chicken” will be presented by the crew from Stoopid Buddy Stoodios.
In addition to these events, the Museum will hold several special programs, classes and family activities. On April 13, visitors can participate in “Open Studio: Exploring Water Media,” where artists from the California Watercolor Association will demonstrate the use of water media and assist participants in creating their own original artwork.
On April 26-28, visitors can take part in “Look Closer” gallery talks, which unveil the magic behind the process of bringing objects to life onscreen. On April 13, the Museum will offer the intensive mini-workshop, “Learn from the Masters Series: Painting with Watercolor.” Participants work in watercolor on a gesso-treated surface with artist and international workshop instructor Myrna Wachov.
Another animation class will be offered on April 27. “Learn from the Masters Series: Animation Mischief” explores the magic of stop motion animation with the Emmy and Annie Award winning animators of Robot Chicken. Both classes are for participants ages 18+, all levels of experience. Space is limited and registration is required. Email education(at)wdfmuseum(dot)org to register or to get more information.
To learn more about these programs and other exhibitions and activities, visit http://www.waltdisney.org
