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Peter EllenshawPeter Ellenshaw (1913-2007) was a British-born artist best known for his special effects matte paintings and visual effects creations at the Walt Disney Studios. His artistic style spanned realism and impressionism, and he was not only an excellent special effects matte painter, but also a creative artist.

Peter Ellenshaw was born in England in 1913, a year before the outbreak of World War I. His early life was full of challenges and difficulties. “War is an evil that haunts us all and drives away happier memories,” he wrote in his autobiography, Ellenshaw’s Window (Camphor Tree Publishers, 2003).

Ellen Shaw's father died in 1921, and his mother soon remarried to a gardener on an estate in Kent. Ellen Shaw's biological father's family lived in Wilton Castle near Enniscorthy, Ireland. Before his father's death, Peter attended a private school, where he learned elegant social etiquette. However, these etiquette educations were abruptly interrupted with his mother's remarriage and the family's move to a small residence on an estate managed by his new stepfather. At the age of seven, Ellen Shaw was forced to light a lantern at night to clean the toilets.

Frequent illnesses during his childhood prevented Peter from passing the grammar school entrance exams. On his mother's advice, he became a car mechanic at the age of 14. At the same time, his mother also encouraged him to develop his artistic talents, especially painting and drawing. It was in this way that Peter was able to maintain his shaky self-esteem. "I did develop a sense of inferiority," he wrote many years later, "because in Britain, dirty unskilled jobs are the bottom of the social ladder."

It was at this time that Ellenshaw chanced upon a local artist who would later mentor him in painting not only on canvas but also on glass to create the backgrounds for his films. This man would play a key role in his life. Known as Percy “Pop” Day, he would go on to become a legend in the field of visual effects for films. Day, who would later be awarded an OBE, and his relationship with Ellenshaw became one of mentor and apprentice, with the young Ellenshaw beginning to work alongside the older Day on visual effects for film studios.

During World War II, Ellen Shaw served his country as a Royal Air Force pilot, and after the war he returned to work for Mr. Day's studio. After a brief year at MGM, Ellen Shaw received an invitation to work on the Walt Disney Studios film Treasure Island in 1947. As a result, his collaboration with Disney lasted for more than 30 years and received five Oscar nominations.

His work on Mary Poppins, which recreated Edwardian London through 102 different backgrounds, won him an Oscar. Allen Shaw's work at Disney was not limited to special effects matte painting, he also participated in the special effects production of many classic films such as Sleeping Beauty and Alice in Wonderland.

Walt Disney became a mentor and friend to Ellenshaw, constantly inspiring him to perfect his craft and push the boundaries of his creativity. "Walt was the dominant figure in my life for many years," he later wrote. "He spoke to me like a father. I treasured our relationship." However, after Walt Disney's death in 1968, filmmaking was never the same again. "Everything changed after Walt died," he wrote in his autobiography. "I no longer had much interest in filmmaking."

After retiring from the film industry, Peter Ellenshaw devoted his life to his passion for painting - painting landscapes for the pure sake of beauty. His paintings include acrylic and oil on canvas, and he also produces hand-signed prints. He has created many works, including Disney and non-Disney themed themes, and they are highly collected. In 1993, he was named a Disney Legend.

Peter Ellenshaw's work is exhibited in public and private galleries throughout the world. He has received numerous honors and awards, including from the American Film Institute, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Chicago Film Academy, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the RW Norton Museum of Art in Shreveport, Louisiana, and the Disney Legend Award.

source:Oil Painting World (ID: ArtYouhua), please indicate the source when reprinting.

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