Click on the image for a better view.
Here's what Jim has to say...
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WARD KIMBALL - "THE COMMITTEE" - ON PBS
Look for a special episode of Antiques Roadshow featuring "The Committee", on PBS from Eugene in early 2012!
I had the opportunity to bring "The Committee" to the Roadshow this summer for review in Eugene, Oregon. Appraiser, Leila Dunbar (best known for sports memorabilia appraisals) immediately recognized the piece as a Kimball. Apparently her father was an expert on Disney and animation history, so Leila took to the piece and put us on the air. The Committee played amazing on the monitor and when it hits the air in 2012 the whole country will learn about Ward Kimball, his contributions and his work.
The Committee, 1949
Ward Kimball 1914-2002
Oil on Masonite
24in. x 42in
I had the great fortune to spend an entire day with Ward at his estate in the summer of 1996. He gave me a private tour or his trains, antique toys and art. Sadly Ward died in 2002 and we lost a great creative innovator, but rest assured Ward lived a big, amazing life full of accomplishment. It's a day I'll never forget!
I came across The Committee at an auction in 2006, when doing research for my own animated series, and I had to own the piece. Fortunately, it seems that nobody else knew of Ward and I won the painting for a modest price. I'll admit, my eyes watered when I received the painting - the color and lines are stunning in person and unavoidable at 42"x24. The piece now hangs in a special place and I'm inspired by it daily
For my birthday a few years back I was given the book "The Nine Old Men" by John Canemaker. I was surprised to discover The Committee featured in Ward's chapter. The painting was misidentified as being painted sometime in the 60's and it's been flipped horizontally. I immediately contacted John and let him know the painting was in-fact painted in 1949 by Ward. I know because it's written in pencil in his hand on the backside of the handmade frame. (John promised to correct the error in the next edition)
When I did a little more research I discovered that Ward won the Academy Award in 1953 for Toot Whistle Plunk & Boom. The film is clearly inspired by the stylization shown in The Committee. The Committee was painted 4 years before the movie was released and at least 2 years before it was produced. Digging further I found that UPA and the entire graphic animation movement emerged soon after Toot Whistle in 1953-54. Could this mean that The Committees is the Rosetta Stone of the modern animation movement? Are the discoveries Ward made in this painting a major turning point in animation history? I quickly realized that I may possess one of the most important pieces of animation history in existence.
UPDATE:
Last month I made a proposition to the PBS series "History Detectives", to see if they could prove without a doubt that The Committee is as important as I believe it to be. To my great surprise and delight, I have been contacted and we're looking into it. Hopefully we'll see The Committee on both PBS programs and showcase Ward with the recognition he deserves, for his great contribution to the art form that many of us have made a career of.
Check back soon for an update and show dates...
Long live Ward's legacy and his inspiring art!
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Here's the link to Jim's blog and his write up.
http://jlclark.blogspot.com/2011/11/war ... ittee.html
