Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of representing ARTPROV at Disney’s Festival of the Masters, presented by Michaels. I was commissioned to paint two 24″X36″ canvases: one a compilation of the six, live 20-minute ARTPROV shows; the other — a parkscape of Downtown Disney’s Pleasure Island.

This video recaps the painting of six ARTPROV sessions… you can see the on-stage action in the background.

And my Parkscape. And now, my painting process for both canvases, in order, as they were created — simultaneously… as well as some other Orlando action.

My stunning wife, showcasing our initial Disney acquisitions.

Is there anything better than Michaels shipping a giant box of art supplies to Disney World with your name on it?

Setting up for painting #1… the live ARTPROV canvas. For those unfamiliar with ARTPROV, the show is a series of improv comedy sketches inspired by art, and during the performance, I create a new piece of art based on the improv… based on the art.

After the first session, I had a basic outline of the Water Side Stage in Downtown Disney.

After the first show, I packed up my easel and worked my way to Pleasure Island…. here I am, set-up and ready to paint.

Starting with a quick Sharpie sketch on the plastic wrap to nail down the composition.

Now to the canvas with a quick yellow acrylic sketch. For those wondering, I used Liquitex Heavy Body Acrylics (as I do on all of my work).

With the addition of some water, I covered the canvas with a wash of orange and red to create the under-painting.

The surface now fully covered, I began to work some flat shapes of purple… because of the intense back-lighting generated by the sun, I covered the back of the canvas with sheets of paper so I could read the colors more accurately.

Banging out a foreground sketch in pure blue.

Perhaps it was the artistic conversation I had with an artist from Chicago about Van Gogh that inspired the swirls in the sky? Subtle Mickey ears for a “Hidden Mickey“??

Session one was quite productive with the addition of secondary dark shapes… including the treeline and outline of Planet Hollywood.

Back to the ARTPROV live canvas for show #2. To my left and right, artists were creating some impressive chalk drawings for the festival — certainly a productive and inspiring environment.

Show #2 in the books, and I have begun to capture the improvising figures dancing across the stage. The palette for this painting was inspired by both the Florida light and ARTPROV logo I designed.

Capping off a busy and productive first day at Disney, Erin, Rory and me made our way to Downtown Orlando, where I gave a 45 minute presentation about my art and process for the Orlando Downtown Arts District. Here is Executive Director Barbara Hartley making the introduction.

Yours truly, talking Guggenheim.

Here is Rory and the lovely Barbara enjoying a delicious dessert. To cap off the evening, I even snatched-up this painting by Socky Chop…

ARTPROV director Rory Scholl working out some organizational items… not pictured, Blue on the other end of the phone.

Back in Downtown Disney, here is the ARTPROV painting after three sessions… halfway there.

Parkscape… working around the entire canvas, building the structure.

With the cobblestones I decided to take a similar approach to my Jamaica and Milan paintings… impasto paint strokes were the best way to indicate the undulating, textural surface.

The shadows are in, the stars are on Planet Hollywood… starting to get cohesive.

With the orange umbrellas, the complementary color pull is more balanced throughout the canvas.

Back to ARTPROV… four sessions in, the structure of the movement is starting to make sense. Creating a painting based on continual movement will always lend to a certain level of abstraction.

And after six sessions, the ARTPROV canvas is now complete!

Down to the details, painting strings of lights pulling the fore and middle ground together.

The final parkscape in context.

And the ARTPROV team with my two paintings, marking the completion of three exciting days of artistic collaboration at Walt Disney World for the Festival of the Masters, Presented by Michaels.

ARTPROV.

Disney Parkscape. Thank you again Michaels for this tremendous opportunity and great job ARTPROV team!