Interview with Collector Stephen Ison

It was on a trip to Walt Disney World back in 1973 that a young college kid named Stephen Ison saw his first piece of animation art. Decades later, he would become the owner of the largest collection on the planet of original animation art from Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. In 1994, Steve's passion would give rise to Snow White...An Art in Its Making, both a museum exhibit and a hardcover book which featured his collection.

In the Fall 1993 issue of Disney News magazine (p. 55-56) an article appeared entitled A Suitor for Snow White or... Memoirs of a Devoted Collector.  It was written by and about Steve and his "hobby".

A Suitor for Snow White... Magazine image scans courtesy of the Dan Alexander Collection.
See his blog at Dan Alexander Dizmentia.

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Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to correspond with Steve via email. I asked him how he got started collecting, where he acquired his pieces, and what's become of the artwork today. Here's what he had to say...

Filmic Light: Who are you Steve and how did you come to be a collector of animation art?

Stephen Ison: Like most kids growing up in the 50s, I watched The Mickey Mouse Club and was always fascinated by Roy Williams (The Big Mouseketeer) whenever he would draw the various characters on the show. That’s what got me interested in drawing and my earliest exposure to all things Disney. As a kid, I was also bitten by the collector bug...baseball cards, stamps, coins, and other assorted “stuff”. I’ve always been a collector of something. I saw my first piece of animation art in 1973 at Walt Disney World and was shocked that you could actually own a piece of art used in a Disney film! Well, the price of the cel was the same as my monthly car payment...so, as a poor college kid, I had to pass, but that’s what planted the seed. I knew someday, if I ever could afford it, I’d start a collection of Disney animation art. It really was that simple. Many years later...after attending an auction of Disney animation art in New York, I started down a road to what would become more than just a hobby.

FL: How did you find this animation art? And where/who did get it from?

SI: When I first started, I found art in the usual places...auctions, antique toy shows, and Disneyana conventions. Later, I became as interested in meeting and knowing many of the artists who worked on the classic Disney films as collecting myself. That’s what kept me motivated to learn more and acquire (preserve) more vintage pieces. Many of my pieces came from the artists themselves.

FL: Why Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs?

SI: When you have the “collector bug”, you have a tendency to “want it all”, so to speak. Well, animation art began to get popular, that I felt I had to make a compromise.  Which film was my favorite in style and quality?  Which one was the first?  Which one did Walt Disney put his heart and soul into?  Snow White.

FL: What did the collection consist of, how large, what forms of art, favorite pieces?

SI: By the time I had been collecting only from Snow White, I believe I had around 700 plus pieces. Those pieces consisted of master backgrounds, concept art, cels, drawings, studio notes, character models, and various other items associated with the film.  My favorite piece...that’s a hard one...guess it would have to be a panorama master watercolor background of the exterior of the Dwarfs cottage by Sam Armstrong. The Disney Art program ended up creating a limited edition of the piece.

FL: Since most drawings, paintings and cels from Snow White were not signed, did you know who the actual artists were for your pieces?

SI: I was always able to identify most of the drawings, concept art, and backgrounds since I got to know most of the artists who were still around while I was seriously collecting. I don’t think any of them are around anymore. It was an honor and a privilege to know many of them and be able to call them “friend”. I’d have to say one of my best friends in world was Maurice Noble; a background painter on Snow White, who later worked at Warner Brothers with Chuck Jones on hundreds of the classic shorts in the late 40s and 50s. He was one of the most talented and creative people I’ve ever know. He taught me about the classic animation process. I miss him.

FL: How did you house your collection and where is it today?

SI: As my collection grew, I had to learn how to preserve the art. I consulted with the Indianapolis Museum of Art about preservation and conservation, and designed a home gallery that was built to actual museum specs...and, OK...I understand this is a bit much...but, it was designed to look like the interior of the Dwarfs cottage! Yeah, I know... I actually did this three times over a 20 plus year time span, but finally decided my Snow White days should/would come to an end when I retired and built a home in the mountains of North Carolina...not a location conducive to “home galleries”. That was about the time I was approached by Disney Feature Films to see if I’d be interested in letting Snow White come back home to where she started. Today, my collection is under the watchful and protective eye of The Disney Animation Research Library in Los Angeles. A decision I’ve never regretted.

Photos of Steve's home gallery when it housed the Snow White collection:

Home Gallery images courtesy of Stephen Ison.

FL: Has your "hobby" of collecting Snow White cels opened doors for you? That is, have you met many other SW collectors? Other people associated with the making of the film or other later Disney personalities? Any anecdotal stories you'd like to share?

SI: Yes, many wonderful doors have opened, as a result of collecting from Snow White...exhibitions throughout the world, books, lectures, lifetime friendships... One of my favorite memories is the night I received a phone call from a woman who said her name was Diane Disney Miller, that she had read the forward of my Snow White book and it made her cry. She then asked if she could come to my exhibit at the Indianapolis Museum of Art...that person, of course, was Walt Disney’s daughter, Diane. She has always been so supportive. What an honor. That was the ultimate for me at the time. Recently, Diane asked me to curate an exhibit of Snow White animation art for the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco. A must see. An amazing facility and tribute to her father. It opens December 2012 in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the release of Snow White.  We’re pulling Snow White art from every source I’ve ever known for the last 25 years. It will be an extensive exhibit.

FL: Have you seen other Snow White collections? When you're with other similar collectors, what's the conversation like?

SI: As far as I know, there are, nor ever were, any serious collectors of “Snow White only” animation art. Most of the high-end collectors had art from all of the classic Disney films. That was always tough for me, and at times, took a lot of discipline for me not to do the same. I really loved it all.

FL: Are you collecting today?

SI: Well, once bitten, as they say. Yes, I’m still picking up choice pieces, but not just from one film. I especially enjoy concept art from Fantasia. Some of those pieces are amazing and are truly works of art.

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The Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: An Art in Its Making exhibition ran for two months at the Indianapolis Museum of Art, from December 4, 1994 until February 5, 1995. A newspaper article dated December 18, 1994 in the Louisville Courier-Journal highlights Steve and his museum exhibit.

Newspaper images courtesy of the Dan Alexander Collection. Used with permission. 

Read Dan's Dizmentia post about his 1994 visit to this Snow White exhibit.

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A couple photos from the IMA exhibit:

Exhibit images courtesy of Stephen Ison.

FL: How did the An Art in Its Making exhibit come about at the Indianapolis Museum of Art?

SI: It took me about four years to convince the Indianapolis Museum of Art to sponsor an exhibit of art from Snow White. Many people at the museum didn’t consider it art. In the end, it broke all attendance records for the museum’s 150 year history! Take that nay sayers!

FL: Was it your entire Snow White collection?

SI: Yes. However, after the exhibition, my collection almost tripled in size over the next 12 years.

FL: Did you attend the opening?

SI: Yes. We also flew out several of the original artists who worked on Snow White...Joe Grant, Marc Davis, Ken O’Connor, Ward Kimball, Betty Kimball, Maurice Noble, and Bill Justice. Great weekend. People lined up for hours to meet them and have books signed.

Signing books at the museum event, from left to right, Betty Kimball, Ward Kimball, Marc Davis, and Joe Grant:

Now from right to left, Ken O’Connor, Maurice Noble, Joe Grant, Marc Davis:

Book Signing images courtesy of Stephen Ison.

FL: Finally, any special memory or anecdote from the event?

SI: To see these people honored in this way was one of the most satisfying events I’ve ever witnessed. And, to see so many people respond to these wonderful pieces of art was the true pay off of years of collecting. Also, personally touring groups of young school children and watching them react as they learned and asked “real” questions.

 

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I, for one, can't wait to see the Snow White art exhibit Steve is curating for the Walt Disney Family Museum. Hopefully we'll get more details on it as we get closer to its opening in December 2012. In the upcoming posts, we'll have a look at the 1994 book featuring Steve's collection as well as the guide booklet from the IMA exhibit.

2001 LE Disney Gallery 10-Pin Snow White Set

By the year 2001, the idea of collectible Disney pins had really come into its own. Pin trading was introduced at the Disneyland Resort back in 1999 during the Millennium Celebration and then the following year at Walt Disney World. The Disney Store got into the act too and started carrying their own exclusive pins. For awhile, they even had pin trading days.

I was living in the Front Range of Colorado at the time, thousands of miles from the nearest theme park. So the idea of being able to buy (and trade) pins locally was actually quite nice. I had only one pin in my collection, my first pin. However, that would change on a particularly memorable visit to one of the greater Denver-area Disney Stores.

This Snow White 10-pin set was released in July 2001 only at Disney Gallery stores. (I purchased mine at a regular old Disney Store but it had a "gallery" section within so it qualified.) Each pin was a limited edition of 1937 (the year of the film's premiere) and was sold in individual boxes decorated with handsome artwork. The front clear plastic window was framed like the Magic Mirror and showed each character's pin face inside. Retail price $8.00 (USD) each.

Disney Galley Snow White Pin in Box, 2001.

I walked into the store that day with my wife, and we first saw the racks of pins--then the Snow White boxes. This was a quality set and I was mesmerized! The artwork seemed beautiful and true to the characters in the film. It was this set of pins that awakened my Snow White collecting instinct and which would help contribute to the eventual formation of this Filmic Light blog. I purchased the entire set that day, and it took some convincing on the part of my wife to keep me from buying out the entire store supply. I was now a collector of Miss White.

Each of the enamel cloisonné pins measures about 1" across and anywhere from 1 1/4" to 1 3/4" tall. The backside reads "© Disney, Limited Edition 1937, China". Note the two separate back-posts for added strength and the old style pin backs. (This is before the rubber mouse ears came into being.)

 

A decade later, my appetite for Disney pins has been curbed somewhat with the unfortunate introduction of scrappers into the market. Yet, on occasion, I still do enjoy a quality pin when I see one.

My First Snow White Pin

I was not yet a collector of Snow White when I purchased this pin. I wasn't even a fan of the film as I'd never been able to watch the thing through without falling asleep in the middle.

So here it was, the end of a 5-day stay at Walt Disney World--my first visit ever. My head was spinning from--totally and unsuspectingly--catching the Disney fever. In particular, earlier in the week I'd had a unique experience while on the Snow White's Scary Adventures attraction. Now on our last morning, my wife and I were waiting to board the Disney Bus at the All Star Resort.

This was back in December of 2000. The pin trading craze was just exploding onto the scene, and they had a pin cart right outside the front door. We stopped to look and I purchased this pin--clueless that more than a decade later I'd be siting here writing about it. Funny where life will take you if you let it.

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The open edition pin, measuring 1 3/8" x 7/8", features Snow White holding a flower bouquet basket. Sold at Walt Disney World, it probably first appeared on pin racks early in 2000 and was still being seen on cast member lanyards in 2003. It has since been retired. I don't recall the actual individual retail price but around five bucks seems about right.

Images from personal collection unless otherwise noted. 

Being an open edition, the backstamps went through a number of slight alterations each time Disney released new runs. All the pins have "© Disney Made in China" (and that's all mine has). But the earliest ones included the "2000" logo and the tagline "Celebrate the future hand in hand" with the "Walt Disney World" logo.

"Celebrate" logo, WDW, May 2000.

My first pin, WDW, December 2000.

The next couple of years, the pin continued to have the "© Disney Made in China" stamp, but it also included the year stamp for "2001" or "2002" plus the "Official Pin Trading" logo.

"Pin Trading", 2001. 

Image courtesy of Dan at Audrey's Pin Magic via meeked100. Used with permission.

A Princess Lineup

As I've hinted at before, I'm not a big fan of the Disney marketing scheme that lumps the princesses all together rather than highlighting them individually. However, my aversion lies entirely in the realm of merchandise, not with the living breathing incarnations. This is a terrific shot!

[CLICK IMAGES FOR A BETTER VIEW]

Anyone can shoot photos of princesses. They're out everyday at the theme parks, riding floats in parades, singing and dancing on stage, giving hugs to little ones at meet-n-greets. It's a rare opportunity, though, to catch them like this, all lined up so perfectly together, chatting amongst themselves, no mobs of admirers crowding about. In fact, when I came across this pic, it appeared at first glance to be another excellent Photoshop manipulation by Disney Resort Sam. But no. This unstaged and unaltered shot belongs to Flickr photographer Jane's Jubilee.

It was a week ago today on June 27 when Jane, with her brand new camera and her freshly-purchased Disneyland annual pass, happened to be in the right place at the right time. There, standing before her in the archway to Sleeping Beauty's Castle, were the "magic five"--Disney's first five princesses.

It was on this day that the producers of the television show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition were shooting in the park. If you're like me and not quite familiar with the premise of the show, a quick Google search reveals that it's a program that offers hope to families that may have faced some recent hardship such as a natural disaster or a family member with a life-threatening illness.

According to Jane, the princesses were waiting to be filmed for the program, which now makes perfect sense since there was a little girl involved...

When they came out, they mostly just talked to the family in the show. They did this cute thing where they danced around a little girl...and then they went to a shaded area. They talked a bit amongst themselves and other cast members, then left.

Yes, the princesses do represent a very lucrative product line for the Disney Corporation, but at the same time, they can in a very real way offer a ray of sunshine to folks whose lives may have hit on hard times.

Waiting in the shade...

OK. The shoot is over. What do you think they're talking about? Are they staying in character even though they're standing out of earshot of park guests? Or are Belle and Snow actually discussing what they're going to do tonight after work? It doesn't really matter since a few moments before, they brought real joy to a little girl in need.

Special thanks to Jane's Jubilee for sharing her photos and princess story.

The KenNetti Snow White Database

Inset: Finnish Director Matti Ranin

It all started for Kenneth Sundberg when he was about 8 or 9 years old. He was sitting in a café of a big department store with his mother...

It was the magic moment - my very first glance at the movie's beautiful trailer. As I remember it, there was a small silver screen on a wall on which movie trailers were projected. All of a sudden a sunny forest, lush with colour, grabbed my attention. On top of a little hill, among some animals, there was a beautiful young woman in a yellow dress, stretching her arms. For me, it was love at first sight.

It was the early 1980s, and the theatrical trailer he saw was for the re-release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. A lifelong interest in Disney's first princess had begun. It wasn't long after that Ken went to see the film all by himself as a kid.

After seeing it the first time, I spent nearly all following weekends in the same movie theatre, watching SNOW WHITE at least ten times during the following month or so.

I was enthralled by the whole of the motion picture. The sights, the sounds, the story and soul of SNOW WHITE captivated me entirely.

Ken lives outside of Helsinki, so the Disney version he watched back then was the Finnish dubbed and directed film by Matti Ranin, a legendary actor-director in Finland.

In the new dub (of 1982 or 1983), Matti Ranin really gave the character a distinct amount of credibility by choosing Jaana Oravisto in the speaking role. And the singing - provided by opera singer Johanna Nurmimaa - matched the speaking voice beautifully.

Ranin clearly stayed away from emulating the original 1937 voices. Actress Jaana Oravisto breathed significant new life into Snow White's character with a beautifully warm voice that even had a touch of maternal quality.

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Many years have passed since Ken's introduction to Snow White, but his fondness for the film hasn't waned. He is the creator of the KenNetti Snow White Database, a website he developed to share information about his interests.

Recently, I had the opportunity to ask Ken a few questions via email about his site. Here's what he had to say...

If I have one true obsession, it is the obsession for information. Despite a vast amount of information on the Internet, the quality and the presentation are often questionable. And even if good information is found here or there, the continuous searching usually bugs me. Thus I began collecting comprehensive databases that would make it easier for myself to talk about things I love. Yes, KenNetti is basically a database for my own use. Because it contains only the things I find interesting, it tells shamelessly about myself and features quite unusual perspectives. So, it's actually a mixture of a blog, a fansite and a serious database.

The name of KenNetti is a combination of my name and the Finnish slang word "netti" (meaning Internet). I wanted the domain name to be as simple as possible. Simplicity is also a guiding force in everything I do. I actually hate websites that are too complicated in their structure and with everything flashing, blinking and moving with very little actual content to be found.

Character illustrations copyright Disney. Enhanced by KenNetti.

The SNOW WHITE'S SCARY ADVENTURES TRIBUTE is only one part (though an enormous one) of the KenNetti site. The "SWSA Tribute" is actually a subsection of KenNetti's SNOW WHITE DATABASE, that includes several smaller sections about the movie. Another enormous section is THE FAIREST...AND THE SCARIEST OF THEM ALL, offering a thorough look to the more epic SNOW WHITE movie that was planned but eventually not made.

Though the site is currently very incomplete (especially its English sections), my future vision of it is really a database where everything will eventually connect to everything (with thousands of links) - exactly like in my very own head... ;)

Other subsection samplings from the Snow White Database include info on the movie soundtrack, Disneyland's Snow White's Grotto, and the 1980s Finnish film version by Matti Ranin.

Snow White Flickr Group

Sara "Starberryshyne" is the creator of the Disney's Snow White flickr group--which at the time of this writing has over 2400 shared photos. From cast members to collectibles, if it has to do with Disney's first princess, you can post your pics there.

At the age of ten, Sara was asked to play the part of Snow White in her father's barbershop chorus' "Tribute to Walt Disney" concert...

While I always knew who Snow White was, there was something special to me about "being" her in this play. I really think that's what started my love of Snow White. Later that year my family went to WDW and, I remember loving the Snow White ride. Then in 1987, I was able to see the movie at a theatre on the big screen. I was hooked and a fan for life!

Sara has been fortunate enough to have experienced three different Disney theme parks in the past three years: WDW 2008, DLR 2009, DLP 2010...

So I have ridden the Snow White ride at all of them. Each one is different and yet have similar things. I like Walt Disney World's the best because it tells a more complete story, showing Snow White at the Wishing Well and the prince kissing her for example. But they all are fun! It was strange hearing everything in French at DLP. I do like how the Paris version ends with Snow White on the horse. I really love the murals at all three parks, but I think Disneyland in California has my favorites.

I asked Sara if she has any Snow White collectibles or memorabilia. She said that she does, particularly figurines...

There are so many things that I like from my collection. The Jim Shore and Precious Moments pieces are some of the nicer items. My favorite, though, has to be a piece I received for my 17th birthday--a Schmid music box featuring Snow White and Dopey dancing.

So Sara, just what is the attraction for you to the Snow White character and the Disney film?

I like her first of all because she sees the best in everyone. The way that Snow White is so trusting and loving is much like myself. I can relate to her. Somehow you know that taking an apple from a stranger is bad, but you have this naive trust that all is going to be alright. I also love the fact that Snow White was the "first." The first film, the first princess... Plus Snow White is just so pretty. The black hair with her yellow skirt is very pleasing to look at.

All images are courtesy of Starberryshyne. See loads more of Sara's work and other Snow White photographers at the Disney's Snow White flickr group. And be sure to add your own pics as well!

It's Official - The Scary Adventures Will Close at WDW

I knew it was coming, but it still feels like a kick in the gut. Thomas Smith, the Social Media Director for Disney Parks yesterday announced on the Disney Parks blog the new updated plan for Walt Disney World's Fantasyland expansion. For the most part, it sounds great and even includes a very exciting brand new Snow White-themed attraction entitled The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. "The coaster will feature a first-of-its kind ride system with a train of ride vehicles that swing back and forth as they whisk along the track."

Artist's rendition of the new Seven Dwarfs Mine Train.

However as a result, the somewhat shocking news is that the Snow White's Scary Adventures ride will be permanently closed...and to make room for a new meet-n-greet location called Princess Fairytale Hall.

SWSA's Not-So-Sleeping Death. Image via fanpop.

Things change. Nothing stays the same. Yet, I can't help but feel extremely disappointed that WDW will be losing SWSA. From a historical perspective, it's a great loss as it's one of the few remaining attractions based on those originally approved by Walt for Disneyland when it first opened in 1955.

My first ticket into the Disney life and Snow White.

And from a personal perspective, I am saddened because it was this very ride that, back in December of 2000, first ignited my interest in Snow White. Before this time, I didn't give a hoot about Disney's first princess or Disney in general for that matter.

Magically simple.

No, it's not a Big Thunder Mountain or a Haunted Mansion, but SWSA worked it's magic on me in a very real way and I for one will miss it.