[ad_1]
Highly decorated Disneyland artist Charles Boyer, recipient of some of the park’s highest and most unique accolades, passed away on Monday. He was 86 years old.
Boyer, who hired as a portrait painter in 1960, stayed at Disneyland for 39 years. According to an article by D23, the official Disney fan club, he became “Disneyland’s first full-time artist and was ultimately elevated to Disneyland Master Illustrator.” Boyer became a Disney legend in 2005, the equivalent of the company’s Hall of Fame membership, with a Main Street window in his name.
Not bad for someone who came to the Chouinard Art Institute as a concierge thanks to a “work grant”. Or for a color blind artist. He was fired from his first job, at AT&T, for “mixing up the red threads and the green threads,” his son, Bruce, told The Times, confirming his father’s death.
After joining Disneyland on a “temporary” basis, he produced “nearly 50 collector’s lithographs, as well as a diverse range of artwork for magazine covers, brochures and flyers,” according to D23. Two of his most famous works are “Partners”, depicting Walt Disney with Mickey Mouse, and “Triple Self-Portrait”, a riff on Norman Rockwell’s painting with Mickey Mouse and Walt Disney as an artist, reflection and figure in the artwork.
“Dad was the first artist to make Mickey look real, in the real world,” said Bruce Boyer. “It was the gift my dad gave to Disney, bringing Mickey to life. That’s what he liked to do; he liked to paint realistically. Goofy, Donald, he brought them to life too.
In a quote published by D23, Boyer said upon his retirement in 1999: “I have worked with great people. My wife used to ask me if I was really working, because I was having so much fun.
“He loved being able to support his family while working for Disney. He always took us to Disneyland and sometimes he took us backstage to show us the magic that was there. He was more of a desert painter, but the Americana that is Disney brought some sparkle to his art, ”Bruce Boyer told The Times.
“He did cover for LA Times Magazine and with the money he made, he was able to buy a house in Anaheim near his job. He was coming home from work for lunch with me, my mom and my sister. Whenever there was a Disney event, he loved to bring his wife and kids.
Boyer’s wife, Ellen, died before him. In addition to his son, he is survived by his daughter, Naomi, three grandchildren, three great grandchildren and many extended family members.
[ad_2]
Source link
