Thursday, April 10, 2014

Milt Kahl's Great Granddaughter has Talent


Her name is Zoe, and it sure looks like she inherited some of her great grandfather’s artistic ability.
I met Zoe in April of 2009 when she and her family visited Disney Animation (a day before the Milt Kahl Academy event). At the end of the tour I gave her an oversized stuffed toy of Disney’s Bolt. She loved it.
Later I received a thank you note and this lovely drawing, Zoe was 4 1/2 at the time. 
For a little while we exchanged drawings through the mail, and when I sent her a copy of my animal sketchbook, Zoe created her own and mailed it to me.
What charming drawings, I love the way she paired animals on one page. Beautiful colors, too.





About a week ago Zoe emailed me these more recent drawings, that clearly show her artistic progress at 9 1/2 years old. Her love for animals comes through in these well observed sketches. 
It’s interesting that Zoe also chose a Diet Coke can as a drawing object. It reminds me of art school assignments. Beautifully done. 













I think we can all agree that Zoe has a big future as an artist!
And I know that her Great Grandpa would be very proud.

16 comments:

  1. I especially like the, I assume, chalk pastel of that duck, so lovely! All these pieces are undoubtedly charming and exhibit artistic talent, and for a girl not even 10 yet? Really impressive!

    I like how you point out the diet coke can as interesting subject matter. I remember when I was around 10/11 and I got a sketchbook. One page I drew our dining room chair, on another I drew my hand holding a spherical paper weight, and on another, one of my small backpacks that was tossed on the floor. In that same sketchbook I have a couple drawings of a king and a queen I took out of a pack of cards and drew, trying my best to retain all detail. I think I felt more confident in my drawing abilities when actively observing something and drawing it at that point in my young life, as opposed to when I would create something purely from my imagination.

    Thank you for sharing!

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  2. I hope she will continue. At what age did you begin to draw a lot?

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  3. It's great you posted this Andreas :-)

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  4. Holy moly, she is damn good!
    Very talented for a 9 year old!

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  5. I really hope you both keep in touch, drawing-wise, and that you'll show us more of her art as she grows older! :D

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  6. Andreas, can you tell us who that Disney artist is?

    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152079790648100&set=p.10152079790648100&type=1&theater


    Saturday's Toys posted this info: Anyone recognize this asst animator? He's working on Ward Kimball's crew in animating the little crow... in the scene where Timothy lectures the crows on their mistreatment of Dumbo (Sequence 19.1; Scene 44; "Go Ahead! Have your fun!"). Found this photo with a couple of photos of the studio's "Minneapolis Club" of that era.

    But, I don't think it refers to the man on the pic, who, to me is Herb Ryman! Your thoughts? Thanks!

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    1. Sorry, I have no idea who this artist is.
      Amid Amidi (Cartoon Brew) is the Kimball expert, he might know.

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    2. FB link doesn't work for me. Can't see any image.

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  7. A nice clue! Thanks!

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  8. Beautiful work Zoe. Your drawings are really great. Much love to you.

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  9. Very nice drawings. I like specially duck also.

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  10. This post is so sweet :-)... when i see children's drawings, i always remember this quote: "I used to draw like Raphael, but it has taken me a whole lifetime to learn to draw like a child" (Picasso)

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  11. Mein Gott, ist das gut! Die Bilder, die sie mit 4 malte waren schon Klasse, aber die Ente, die sie mit 9 aufs Papier brachte, hat mich echt umgehauen! 😊👍

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