2001
Acrylics & colored pencil on paper.
18" x 24"

Don Bluth's tragically under-appreciated THE SECRET OF NIMH remains my favorite animated film of all time, and I wanted to create a poster in a similar style to what the late John Alvin did for many Disney films - something a little more mysterious, and geared towards more mature sensibilities.

 

While I didn't think much of this artwork while I painted it - it only took a few days - it eventually became one of my personal favorites, and remains the one for which I've received the most compliments. When I gave a print to animators Don Bluth and Gary Goldman, Bluth said, "Ah! Very nice!" And Andrea Alvin (John Alvin's widow) also complimented it. Such things mean the world to me. (Someone even had it made into a tattoo.)

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This was a rare case of a piece of "fan art" becoming used in an official capacity. In 2015 Intrada Records included the artwork within their expanded CD release of Jerry Goldsmith's score, thinking it was promotional art from 1982. (They were very nice when I clarified it was of my authorship, and I gave them my blessing.)

 

This was later featured as part of "The Secret Movie Club" screening in Los Angeles.