Magic Kingdom Mood

While munching corndog nuggets and fries outside Casey’s Corner in the Magic Kingdom, I roughed out Grumpy the Dwarf on Main Street with an iPad. The parade continued to roll by, and Grumpy—my favorite dwarf—scowled at the sketchpad, clearly unimpressed. Later, in the studio, I began the physical painting, building it up with color acrylic washes that snapped to life. I chose to let Main Street fade into a soft smudge behind him, forcing the focus on his dour mug. Grumpy’s story of redemption really connects with me; I firmly believe that redemption is available to all of us. The painting locked in his cranky charm with bright strokes, tipping a hat to the wild joys and jitters of younger days.