For that holiday gift they will always treasure, give the gift of art! WonderGround Gallery in the Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort is a wonderland of art celebrating Disney. During the month of December, meet the artists, have them sign a piece for your perfect gift, and pick up something special for yourself!
December Artist Showcase: This is a terrific opportunity to meet several talented artists, all in one spot!
- Steph Laberis is a San Francisco-based illustrator and character designer for animation, who has worked in toy design, children’s books and game development.
- Martin Hsu, also from San Francisco, fell in love with drawing at his grandparents’ house while growing up in Taiwan. Martin’s cultural heritage and family ties remain the biggest influence in his work. He hopes to inspire kindness and keep traditions alive through his art.
- Jerrod Maruyama is an illustrator who also studied at San Jose State University and specializes in character designs and all things cute.
- Brian Crosby is the creative director of Marvel Themed Entertainment and works with Marvel’s library of characters in how they appear in Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, traveling exhibits, live shows and more. He continues to develop special pieces of art and is the co-creator of a line of “Disney Kingdoms” comic books from Marvel.
- Joey Chou is also one of our featured artisans of the month! Joey has worked on a number of children’s book illustrations and large-scale installations, and his graphic style is influenced by great illustrators from the ‘60s.
Appearance Date: Dec. 7 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Featured Artist in Residence: Jeff Granito
Meet Jeff, watch him work and take home some of his Tiki-inspired art, holiday style! From his studio in Southern California, Jeff creates art for well-known clients including multiple Disney projects such as the Disneyland Decades Collection, Disneyland Club 33 Summer of Tiki and has been a featured artist on Disney Cruises and at Disney Aulani.
Appearance Dates: Dec. 6, 8, 13, 14, 20, 27, 28 and 29 from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m.
Featured Artisans of the Month: Joey Chou and Aggie Cheung
A graduate of the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, Calif., Joey was born in Taiwan and moved with his parents and sister to the U.S. when he was 15. His art reflects influences by prominent and obscure artists as well as influences by the Southern California lifestyle and culture. When not painting or sketching, Joey enjoys independent films, surfing, video games and traveling.
Appearance Dates: Joey Chou Dec. 7 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Dec. 8 from 1 to 4 p.m.
Aggie is a designer, illustrator and crafter who was born and raised in Hong Kong and earned her bachelor of fine arts degree in animation and illustration from San Jose State University. She specializes in conceptual games and children’s book illustrations. Her passion project is The Little Red House, a sweetly-illustrated stationery company with cards, prints, accessories and décor to remind people of their childhood moments.
Appearance dates: Aggie Cheung Dec. 21 – 22 from 1 to 4 p.m.
Inside the WonderGround Gallery, discover original art collections, commissioned pieces and limited-edition artwork to augment any Disney collection, including Vinylmation figures, deluxe prints and art figures. The gallery is also a great place for stocking stuffers with novelty t-shirts, books, journals, mugs, magnets and pens.It’s a wonderful time of year to visit the Downtown Disney District with innovative events, nightly entertainment and a host of specialty boutiques to find the perfect item for everyone on your list. For a schedule of events and entertainment, please visit Disneyland.com.