Rosemary Begley, Artist Profile
Epcot International Festival of the Arts 2026
Disney Gallery Artist Rosemary Begley introduces an uplifting trio of new paintings for the 2026 Epcot International Festival of the Arts.
Begley was invited to join the Festival in 2018, but has been painting original art for Disney Parks and Disney Cruise Line for the past fifteen years.
Her work is often inspired by the “beautiful architecture found throughout the parks.” She considered the meaning of inspiration itself – “where it comes from and how we open ourselves to it” as well for this year’s new works.
“[Inspiration] is that still, small voice we hear when we listen,” she said.” “[I]t is from up above, and it is loving and divine.” She continued:
Like with Walt Disney, who found inspiration through prayer, it helps to pray. Sometimes a vision comes in a dream - remember the Circus Ringmaster in “Dumbo” (1941) when he is trying to find the answer and pinnacle of his idea, says “Maybe it comes to me in a vision while I dream”. That does happen! Or listening to music. Or remember Timothy Q. Mouse, when he realizes to his own amazement that Dumbo can fly because his ears are so big, exclaims “That’s it! Your ears…the very things that held you down are going to carry you up, and up, and up!”
This contemplation of inspiration drove the creation of Begley’s three new paintings : Divine, Up Above, and Marvel. Each work carried a pleasing pastel palette, whimsical elements, and loving nods to classic Disney icons and stories.
“My favorite piece [for this Festival] is Divine,” she shared. “[I]t represents my love of both the music and art of Disney, specifically Cinderella, the castle, the music, and the lyrics of So This is Love.”
Divine features the majestic Cinderella Castle from Magic Kingdom Park tucked amongst green foliage, bubbles, and ribbons carried by Cinderella’s bird friends.
“In my personal collection of paintings outside of Disney, I like to paint birds on the seashore,” Begley said. “Birds symbolize a lot of things for me, and in Divine, the birds from “Cinderella” portray spirited helpers, there when we need them, singing and communicating something to us if we listen and reflect.”
Lines of music and lyrics from So This is Love, written for Disney’s 1950 animated feature film Cinderella, adorn the ribbons that frame Divine. Begley shared:
As we look up, we are reminded of love and that love originates from above. Like a gift unwrapped from heaven, we are bestowed with love. Inspired by love, the beauty of lyrics and song follow…So This is Love. The first line of the song in all its color and colorful notes ends with the word “divine” – “So this is what makes life ‘divine’.” And nods to the exalted castle, celestial sky, clouds and bubbles of inspiration and ideas, and symbols of the “key to this heaven” and “my heart has wings” and I “can fly” and “touch every star in the sky” – we are lifted up!”
A light blue sky illuminates the castle – showcasing the intricate detail of its architecture. The royal blue peaks of the castle, along with the wings of the birds, lead the viewer’s eye around the piece. Bright clusters of bubbles float along with the birds, in dynamic juxtaposition with the unwavering Cinderella Castle.
Up Above features the iconic Cinderella Castle as well, but as a secondary, background element as opposed to the focal point. Mary Poppins is central to Up Above – floating gracefully into the landscape of Magic Kingdom Park.
“Like the Spirit from heaven, we find hope when Mary Poppins comes down to guide us and lead us to healing, even when we don’t know we are lost or in need of light to show us the way,” Begley said. “She is faithful and returns throughout our lives and generations.”
Like the dreamy lyrics for Divine, Begley was inspired by the music from Disney’s Mary Poppins Returns (2018) for Up Above, but reinterpreted for the Magic Kingdom setting.
“This scene over the Magic Kingdom takes me to the beautiful lyrics, with a slight, appropriate variation,” she shared.
So hold on tight to those you love
And maybe soon from “up above”
You’ll be blessed, so keep on looking high
While you’re underneath
The Magic Kingdom Sky
Enchanted, yet ever-changing skies influenced Begley’s work as well.
“With all my paintings for Disney, I portray a Disney sky, and that is why they are each so very different,” Begley explained. “The skies in Florida are most varied perhaps because it is a large peninsula surrounded by ocean, and it brings a special realism to the scene. In the case of Up Above, I found the sky colorful and alluring, bringing the eyes through layers of heights and focus to our main character. There are seven Park icons included because seven is a perfect number, and we know that Mary Poppins is practically perfect in every way. Each icon displays a glowing lantern true to its architecture and as a nod to the significance of light to lead our way in the story’s “Trip a Little Light Fantastic” song.”
The ‘uplifting’ theme persists in Begley’s third new work for the Festival, but with a more lighthearted spin.
Marvel carries Begley’s signature bubbles among Magic Kingdom Park’s iconic attraction, Dumbo the Flying Elephant. Staggered in mid-flight, elephant ride vehicles cheerfully abound in front of the Dumbo circus tent. The skyward perspective lends to the uplifting message Begley wished to convey with this piece:
Listen! As we ponder the ‘ninth wonder of the universe‘, we “marvel“ at our flying elephant, Dumbo, whose seeming weakness becomes his strength - his ears. Some of us have small ears, some have large ears. The important consideration is how we use them to lift ourselves and others up, and up, and UP! Like our baby Dumbo, we spend much of our infancy just hearing and listening as the most essential way of learning how to communicate. But as we grow, we become more eager to speak instead, while much of our world and relationships are muffled by noise, distraction and not being heard. Yet we are always surrounded by ideas and inspiration if we take the time to listen. As we use our ears to hear what others have to say, we honor others and become more engaged. Dumbo was heard when others recognized his ability to use his ears. We are given not one, but two gifts - two ears to listen, and the more we listen, the more we too can be heard.
Begley expressed gratitude for another successful signing visit during her time at the Festival, and hoped that her new works, among other art at the Festival, would bring a sense of joy to guests at Epcot this year.
“I am most excited about this year’s overall artwork by all our wonderful artists - it is more bright and cheerful and colorful, and will surely lift spirits,” she said. “Acquainting myself with the marvelous artwork by all the artists at this year’s Festival of the Arts 2026 and speaking to so many, many guests – I was thrilled to find it to be the most exhilarating and uplifting Festival yet.
To view Begley’s three new works and learn more, visit the America pavilion during the Festival and begleyart.com .
-Tiera Tanner, 2026