Today is a day when most people here in the US traditionally take a moment or two to reflect on whatever it is that they have to be thankful for. And for the more-than-a-thousand Southern California students who’ve taken part in the Ryman Arts program over the past 19 years … Well, they’re just thankful that this program existed at all.
For those of you who don’t know: Ryman Arts was founded back in 1991 to honor the memory – more importantly, the creative legacy — of Disney Legend Herbert Dickens Ryman. Herbie (as Ryman was known during the decades that he worked for Walt Disney Productions & over at WED) was a mentor’s mentor. This incredibly generous & gentle man always had time for his fellow artists, was always willing to offer support, share an insight or suggest an artistic technique.
Which is why – when Ryman passed away in February of 1989 – six of his friends (including Walt’s daughter Sharon Disney Lund as well as Marty & Leah Sklar) came together. With the hope of creating something for the greater artistic community that would help keep Herbie’s spirit alive.
Copyright 2009 Ryman Arts. All Rights Reserved
This is how the Ryman Arts program (which teaches classical drawing & painting to talented and motivated high school students) came into being. And judging by what alumni have had to say about the impact that this program has had on their lives (EX: “It was one of the most cherished and special times of my teen years. It greatly contributed to who I am today”), Ryman Arts has been hugely successful.
That said – because this is the only such program in Southern California that’s totally free – Ryman Arts is also on the pricey side to operate and maintain. But then again, given that this program was founded by some pretty heavy hitters at The Walt Disney Company, Ryman Art’s fund-raisers can be pretty spectacular all by themselves.
Case in point: Next month’s “Herbert Dickens Ryman: An Artist’s Journey to Walt’s and Other Worlds” event. Which is being held on Saturday, December 12th at Disney’s
Contemporary Resort.
Herb Ryman as painted by Disney Legend Sam McKim. Copyright 2009 Ryman Arts. All Rights Reserved
Presented by Partners Federal Credit Union, this unique evening of entertainment will begin with dinner in Fantasia Ballroom J. Here Marty Sklar — the former Executive Vice
President of WDI (Not to mentioning being Imagineering’s first-ever Ambassador as well as a Disney Legend in his own right) – will talk about Ryman’s numerous contributions to Disney Company history. Look for Marty to talk about how Herbie worked with Walt on the first overall
illustration of Disneyland. Not to mention the 7 other Disney theme parks that Ryman designed attractions for / did concept work on.
Tickets for the Herb Ryman Story presentation are $125 apiece. And all proceeds will benefit the Ryman Arts program.
Of course, if you’d really like to help those teens who take part in this program, you might want to consider ponying up $250 for VIP tickets to this same event.
Recently retired Imagineering Ambassador Marty Sklar. Copyright Disney. All Rights Reserved
“And what’s the VIP version of ‘An Artist’s Journey to Walt’s and Other Worlds’ like?,” you ask. Well, for starters, you get to take part in a private reception with Mr. Sklar. Where Marty will talk about what it was like to write for Walt. Preparing personal material for the Company’s annual reports, Disneyland guides and such that would then be published under Disney’s
own name.
You’ll also get the chance to see some extremely rare film footage from the Disney Archives. These pieces include a video that Sklar wrote for General Electric to give that company’s execs a progress report on how the construction of “The Carousel of Progress” was going. You’ll also get to see the film that Marty wrote which was screened for the Florida Legislature to
sell them on Walt’s plans for Disney World. This footage is considered particularly poignant by Disneyana fans. Given that it’s the very last time that Walt appeared on camera before his untimely passing on December 15, 1966.
Other perks that you’ll enjoy – should you opt to purchase the $250 VIP tickets for this Ryman Arts program fund-raiser, that is – are preferred seating for dinner in Fantasia Ballroom J as well as for Sklar’s “Herb Ryman Story” presentation. Marty will also pose for a photograph with you as well as personalize a copy of “A Brush with Disney : An Artist’s Journey” for you.
Copyright 2000 Camphor Tree Press. All Rights Reserved
And given that brand-new copies of this great Camphor Tree book are currently selling for $65 apiece on Amazon.com, the fact that you get an autographed version of “A Brush with Disney” for free if you spring for this fund-raiser’s VIP package is another great reason to reach for your checkbook.
So as you’re passing around the candied yams & the pumpkin pie today, don’t pass up this opportunity to help out a great cause. The talented teens who take drawing & painting classes at the Ryman Arts program would really be thankful if you bought a few tickets to next month’s “Herbert Dickens Ryman: An Artist’s Journey to Walt’s and Other Worlds” fund-raising event at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.
For further information on Ryman Arts, please click on this
link.
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And speaking of Thanksgiving … If you’re planning on taking advantage of some of Amazon.com’s Black Friday bargains tomorrow, could you please click on this banner before you do so? If you do that … Well, JHM then gets to keep a teeny tiny chunk whatever you spend.
Happy Holidays! |
