Neverland Island - Return to Neverland!

Return to Neverland

Released:  February 15, 2002

As might guess from my earlier post, I particularly love the idea and though of what it might be like to visit a place like Neverland.  From the moment your eyes start to view this painting your mind starts it’s journey to this magical place.  Neverland Island, that mythical place from the J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan stories, is a wonderful world that every boy dreams of going to or attempts to build in the backyard. 

                        Original production background, watercolor on 25 field board

                        Artist:  John Kleber

                        Sequence 7, Scene 48

                        Sequence 26, Scene 26

                        Acquired:  February 7, 2002

This bright and colorful background painting shows the magical island with all of its familiar spots that Peter Pan and the Lost Boys have fun discovering.  From the Indian Encampment to Mermaid Lagoon, you can quickly travel the island visiting all these places.  This wonderful production background was created for the feature film Return to Neverland released to theaters in 2002.  Set years later during World War II, Wendy has grown up and now finds herself with a daughter Jane who is too practical for her age and no longer believes in Peter Pan.  The stage is set for her to discover what really lies out there at the second star to the right.

Researching one evening on the internet I ran across an artist blog for Adrian Thatcher, an Emmy award winning director/artist who had worked this film.  From that blog I was able to strike up a conversation and learn a little more.  He had worked for Disney in Canada on the art direction and layout for the film and shared his stories of how Return to Neverland production moved through the animation process.  Having seen his original layout drawing for another production background in my collection, he mentioned that the film was started in Toronto, but ultimately completed in both the Tokyo and Sydney Disney studioes.  This film was truly an international effort with the art having moved around the globe on several occasions.   This painting was originally created as color concept by well known American Illustrator, John Kleber and because it was so well liked the directors ended up using it in the film.  

Painted with gouache on illustration board, this painting is huge in terms of animation art.  Measuring 19 high by 25 inches wide, this painting allowed the animator’s to travel into Neverland during two key scenes of the film.  The sheer size of the painting when you see it up close really captures your attention and let’s your mind to take the journey there.  Because of its size and scale of the landscape, this is one of my favorite pieces in the collection.  

When I learned that I was the lucky high bidder from the auction that Disney held on the internet, I had no idea that it would be so large and captivating with its presence!  Back in the early 2000's Disney used to hold special auctions as a way of promoting their films through eBay.  This painting is one of only 11 original production backgrounds that were sold to the public.  Even though this piece is from a contemporary film, it is beautifully executed and is a standout in the collection.  If you remember my earlier post on Mary Blair's original concept, this more contemporary piece carries the 1950's design theme in the present.  Simply beautiful.