Bob Welbaum: NFFC Fundraiser Benefits Ryman Arts
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Included in this year�s lineup of events for the �25th Anniversary NFFC Disneyana Convention and All Disneyana Show and Sale� was a special ticketed event on July 15, 2009 � a silent auction and wine tasting in the Sleeping Beauty Pavilion at the Disneyland Hotel in Anaheim, CA. to benefit Ryman Arts, one of the NFFC�s supported charities.

Ryman Arts continues the work of legendary artist Herbert Dickens Ryman (1910-1989) in partnership with the University of Southern California Roski School of Fine Arts. Herb Ryman is best known for drawing the original concept for Disneyland for Walt Disney in 1954 so brother Roy could have something to show potential investors. Herb strongly believed in supporting young artists and teaching them the fundamentals of drawing. Ryman Arts supports his legacy of artistic accomplishment with a program that is completely free, with participants selected solely on the basis of ability and commitment. The program has become highly competitive; fewer than half the students who apply are accepted. This past semester saw over 160 students meeting every Saturday for three-and-a-half-hour classes. Visits from guest artists, field trips and college portfolio workshops complete the curriculum. Over its almost twenty-year history, the program has graduated more than 2500 students, and yes, some do work at Disney! For more information, visit http://www.rymanarts.org.

Four young people were introduced to represent the student body: a young man who has just graduated from high school and will attend Fullerton College this fall, two young ladies who are summer interns, and Natalie Franco, a 1997 graduate who is today a successful photographer (http://nataliefrancophotography.com). Examples of students� works were on display.

Walt Disney Imagineering Executive Vice President and Imagineering Ambassador Marty Sklar (who would retire on July 17, Disneyland�s birthday) was also there as a friend of Herb Ryman to interpret artwork and autograph books sold in the silent auction. A master sommelier was on-hand to explain the wines and their accompanying cheeses, fruits and desserts.

A special treat was the surprise appearances of actress, singer and voice talent Jodi Benson, who voiced Ariel in The Little Mermaid, and actress, stage/concert artist and voice of Beauty and the Beast�s Belle Paige O�Hara. The multi-talented Miss O�Hara also paints; she has recently signed a contract with Disney Fine Art � Collectors Editions to produce a series of original works entitled �Belles by Belle,� and one of her works was auctioned at the end of the evening.

This event actually provided several opportunities to support Ryman Arts:

• Half of the $100 ticket price from the sixty-one paid attendees went directly to Ryman Arts (and was tax deductible).
• Five tables of artwork and related memorabilia were sold at silent auction. The opening bids were intentionally set low and each item included a buy-it-now price.
• The escort services of five Disney celebrities were auctioned in a segment that was anything but silent. The winning bidder was treated to a ride with the celebrity on the celebrity�s favorite attraction on Disneyland�s birthday, July 17. The celebrities and their favorite attractions were Margaret Kerry, the actress who is best known for serving as the live-action model for Peter Pan�s Tinker Bell (Disneyland�s �Mad Tea Party�); actor/producer Eddie Carroll, who is the official voice of Jiminy Cricket (Disneyland�s �Pinocchio� and �Finding Nemo�), the many-talented and versatile Terri Hardin (Disneyland�s �Pirates of the Caribbean�); voice artist Mark Silverman (Disney California Adventure�s �Tower of Terror,� for which he provided the voice of host Rod Serling); and architect/Imagineer Dennis Tanida (Disney�s California Adventure�s �Disney Animation�). To further stimulate bidding, several celebrities embellished their appeal with extras: for example, Terri Hardin included her exquisite sculpture of the undead pirate parrot skeleton from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, and Eddie Carroll threw in lunch.
• Two original works of art were sold at a live auction: �Paco Llama� by Herb Ryman and �Ballerina� an artist proof giclee by Paige O�Hara (number 2 of 25).

As they departed, attendees received a commemorative wine glass and miniature lithograph of one of Herb Ryman�s most famous works � �Cinderella�s Castle,� the preliminary concept for Walt Disney World. It was a perfect evening � good food and wine, good friends, special surprises�and we helped some kids � the final total was just over $10,000!

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