Keep moving forward

In my early years I was a proud member of the Mickey Mouse Club. Filled with excitement and anticipation, I couldn't wait to get home from school, turn on the TV, and wait for it to warm up before the show started. I can still sing the theme song: "Who's the leader of the club that's made for you and me?...

To this day I enjoy watching old Disney movies, not just for the storytelling, but also to observe the beautifully painted backgrounds. Because of my current "Woods" series, I'm especially interested in the forest scenes. I suppose it's only natural that recently I've been imagining this same kind of fantasy scenery in my nature walks.

My walks along the Smoky Hill River are like something out of Disney's Bambi—constant movement and color all around. I haven’t seen a deer yet, but I see birds hopping, a ground hog waddling to get back undercover, and ducks quacking and swimming up river. The leaves and bushes seem to vibrate with life in the breeze and sunlight.

I did a little research on ol' Walt, and I like the way he thinks about creativity. Over the years, his production company earned many awards (26 Oscars, 3 Golden Globes, and more), but when asked about his philosophy for the organization, Walt said,

That is a good outlook for me as a painter, and for living life in general.

Were you a member of the Mickey Mouse Club? I'd love to hear your memories of it.