When the Disneyland 50th Anniversary gala was announced, I jumped at the chance to paint this place of golden memories. I set up my easel on Main Street to paint a plein air study of Sleeping Beauty Castle, soon to be festooned with decorations, flags, and banners celebrating Disneyland's 50th. I couldn't resist painting my own family among the crowd.

The drama of sunset suggests the end of an era at Disneyland, while the glowing lights at the base of the castle remind us that a new age of imagination and celebration awaits.

- Thomas Kinkade