Art Notes

Of all the Disney love stories, perhaps Beauty and the Beast is the most poignant. Beast's true identity is a charming prince who is discovering love in the form of the beautiful Belle. In my painting I memorialize that magic moment when they first begin to discover their love for each other. Many of the characters from the movie are present, including Belle's eccentric father Maurice, the wonderful characters of Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, and of course, Lumiere. In the distance, we see the village that is a central setting for many of the film's most important moments. As with every piece in my Disney Dreams Collection, I attempted to portray a panorama of the entire movie, rather than an individual scene. My desire is that the viewer's eye would wander around the painting making discoveries in every corner of the image. Beauty and the Beast Falling in Love represents, in my mind, my highest accomplishment so far in the Disney Dreams Collection.

The crowning achievement and the central discovery in the image is the sweeping sense of romance that is at the core of the Beauty and the Beast fairy tale. Here truly is unconditional love in its purest form. I hope you sense that love every time you look upon Beauty and the Beast Falling in Love.