Pinterest

There's a lot of hype about Pinterest right now and for good reason. It is a great way to share a bit about yourself with everyone. What your favorite foods are, what music you listen to and even what inspires you each day to create and to pursue your passion. It is also a great place to meet awesome people who have the same appreciation for things as you do. It's for these reasons we've joined Pinterest. We love meeting new people, discovering other artists and sharing our art with others. So join us here as we pin the world over!

Daily Photo Tour -Wishing Walt Goodnight

The lamp in the window of Walt's apartment serves as a reminder of what a great man Walt was, all the lives he touched and all the dreams that became a reality as a result of him pursuing his own. I have immense appreciation for this, but I often overlook it as we're dragging ourselves out of the park around 1:00am. On this night, I was quite prepared to head home after having been in the rain all day, but was stopped by the incredible reflection of Walt's apartment in the pavement. I just stood there for some time admiring the scene until Matthew and Kevin urged me to get a picture. Grateful for the encouragement, I set up and got my shot, wishing Walt a long overdue goodnight.

Daily Photo Tour - Walt's Fire Wagon

If there is anything I've learned from difficult things, it's that if you love what you're doing, the difficult part seems to fade away. Photographing Disneyland is difficult. I love the two so much, I sometimes forget how difficult it can be. I find that the more and more I get caught up in what I love doing, the ideas and things I'm trying to express actually come out and manifest themselves into something tangible and something that I can connect with people on. This process is so amazing.

For me, The Disneyland Fire Station in the morning light brings back some of my most vivid memories of Disneyland. To even begin to explain this to someone with the detail, imagery, and feelings I carry is nearly impossible. So when I sat down to work on this picture I really wanted to convey exactly how I see Disneyland. I try to do this with all my pictures, but when I finish, I've never had the feeling like I did when I finished this one. This is truly how I see Disneyland.

Daily Photo Tour - Christmas at Walt's Apartment

One of my favorite places is standing beneath Walt's apartment in front of the Disneyland Firehouse. At Christmas time, they supplant the ever-glowing lamp with a small Christmas tree and despite its small stature, it sits proudly in the window overlooking Main Street. On the eve of Thanksgiving, I find myself with much to be grateful for, as is often the case when we pause to count our many blessings. Among the many things I have to be grateful for, this window is one of them. The light that always shines, whether by lamp or tree and what it stands for. For me it is one of the most poignant reminders of Walt Disney's legacy. I am grateful for his example of courage to pursue dreams and the tenacity to dog it 'til it's done. I am grateful that among his dreams, bringing families together was paramount. This tree in the window is one of those holiday touches at Disneyland that is truly special and makes the season bright.

Daily Photo Tour - Realizing a Dream

There is a little bit of Walt everywhere. The bench that he sat on when he came up with the idea for Disneyland rests in The Disney Gallery, just a few feet between onlookers and a velvet rope. The last ride he helped design has become the most popular ride in Disneyland history, Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Fire Department where he frequently stayed are the many places that always bring the memory of Walt to my attention. And whenever I think of Walt, I think of dreams. The dreams that were personal to him, he made so tangible. A lot of people I talk to just "don't get" Disneyland. They don't understand why someone would pay seventy-two dollars a ticket to visit a theme park for one stinkin' day. They don't understand the many of us that become quite obsessed with what some would call a piece of land. Well, it's because Disneyland is more then just a piece of land or a theme park. It is a dream made into reality. It gives us all hope that one day we can turn our dreams into realities. The dreams that we hold so close to our heart. The dreams that get us out of bed every morning. Whether they are big dreams, small dreams, or impossible dreams, they are the passion of the soul that gives us hope every day. We only get one chance in this life to follow those dreams. We only get one chance to make it happen. Walt made it happen. On opening day he stood in the apartment atop the Fire Station. As kids poured into the park a young mouseketeer, Sharon Baird, got a first hand glance into the emotions of a dream come true.....

"I was standing next to him at the window, watching the guests come through the gates. When I looked up at him, he had his hands behind his back, a grin from ear to ear, and I could see a lump in his throat and a tear streaming down his cheek. He had realized his dream."