Walt Disney Animation Studios is paying tribute to female talent in art and animation at a one-of-a-kind exhibition during the Canary Islands-based Animayo, Spain’s only Oscar-qualifying animation festival. From May 7-10, the exhibition Whimsy & Wonder will be exclusively on display at the fest.
Disney, an official sponsor this year, will celebrate the female artists who helped shape Disney’s visual storytelling for more than a hundred years. These include the trailblazing Mary Blair, who transformed the use of color in the 1950s, and the visionary women behind modern favorites like “Frozen,” “Encanto” and “Moana 2.” The exhibition is a homage to the women who have shaped the past—and are defining the future—of animation.
Art for ‘Encanto’ by Lorelay Bové
In the 1940s and ’50s, Blair (1911–1978, American), a celebrated color stylist and art director, brought a bold new vision to Disney animation. Her imaginative use of vibrant colors and whimsical shapes sparked a transformative shift in the studio’s style during the mid-20th century.
Whimsy & Wonder will offer a glimpse into the creative contributions of talented visual development and storytelling artists at Walt Disney Animation Studios, from films like “The Princess and the Frog” (2009) to Disney Animation’s most recent animated feature, “Moana 2” (2024).
Costume Design for Disney’s ‘Frozen 2’ by Brittney Lee (visual development artist).
The exhibition will showcase works by Blair and from six extraordinary artists at Walt Disney Animation Studios:
- Lorelay Bové (Spain/Andorra): Visual development artist on “Big Hero 6,”” Zootopia,” “Wreck-It Ralph,”” The Princess and the Frog” and associate production designer of Oscar-winner “Encanto.” Bové will also be present at Animayo to give a Masterclass and participate in an exclusive portfolio review session.
- Lisa Keene: Production designer and visual development artist on “Wish,” “Frozen” and classics such as “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Lion King.”
- Brittney Lee: Production designer and visual development artist, renowned for her iconic costume design for Elsa in “Frozen” and the interior of Elsa’s ice palace.
- Griselda Sastrawinata-Lemay: Visual development artist on “Encanto”,” Moana,” “Raya and the Last Dragon” and associate production designer on “Wish.”
- Josie Trinidad: Emmy-winning director and head of story on “Zootopia” and “Ralph Breaks the Internet.”
- Fawn Veerasunthorn: Director of “Wish” and head of story on “Raya and the Last Dragon.”
Led by founder-director-producer Damián Perea, Animayo Gran Canaria 2025 will bring together more than 40 distinguished speakers and special guests, featuring artists, creators, and experts from prominent studios, production companies and academic institutions from around the world.
Expressing delight at the fact that Walt Disney Animation Studios chose Animayo to present this unique exhibition on the occasion of the festival’s 20th anniversary, Perea said: “The Walt Disney Animation Research Library has curated a one-of-a-kind exhibition that spans over a century of artistic inspiration. Without a doubt, it will be an inspiration for many of the girls and young women attending the festival, who will feel empowered by the six incredible female artists showcased in this exhibition.”
As it celebrates 20 years of creativity and impact in the Canary Islands, a burgeoning animation hub, this premiere marks a milestone for Animayo, the only Oscar-qualifying festival in Spain. Iran’s “In the Shadow of the Cypress,” winner of Animayo’s Best International Short Film prize in 2024, went on to win best animated short at the 97th Academy Awards this year.
The festival’s growing roster of sponsors are led by the Cabildo of Gran Canaria through the Presidency Department, the Society for the Promotion of the City of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the Department of Tourism, Industry and Commerce of the Government of the Canary Islands through Promotur and from the Canary Islands Institute for Cultural Development (ICDC), Gran Canaria Tourism, the La Caja de Canarias Foundation, and the Government of the Canary Islands. Animayo also relies on the participation of several production companies, studios, schools, and universities.
Concept Art for ‘Raya and the Last Dragon’ by Griselda Sastrawinata-Lemay (visual development artist)
