Cicero Greathouse exhibit honors abstract artist, Disney Imagineer
Artist Cicero Greathouse says he is “inspired by the colors, shapes and textures that surround me” in a statement accompanying his latest exhibit. “These three elements can be found in landscape, architecture, a ritual or a journey.”
All of those artistic inspirations are on view in “Cicdrawings that foreshadow ero Greathouse: An Artist’s his work as an architectural Journey,” a celebration of draftsman. Also on view, a his life and legacy at the Art film (and shard) from his & History Museums — Black Glass Project, in Maitland. which he positioned a sheet
Greathouse, who as a of black glass in various Walt Disney Imagineering environmental settings senior art director left his around the state. mark on the company’s Florida’s ecosystem was Animal Kingdom and always an influence: “The Tokyo theme parks, died landscape of Florida, speciflast year. ically the river flats of the
“He was brilliant,” says St. Johns River and the artist Que Throm Greatcoastal mangroves, have house, his wife of 20 years. long been a reference point She’s giving me a tour of the for my painting,” he once exhibition, along with Ransaid. dall Webster, who curated But Greathouse would and designed the “hybrid take the colors and feelings installation,” — part exhibit, of a place and turn them part memorial — as Throm into abstract, textured puts it. works “as a visual meta
“This is the literal phor,” he said. “The paintofrenda,” says Webster, ing is not the landscape gesturing to a Mexicanexplicitly but rather its style shrine with mementos allusion.” of Greathouse’s life — miliAsian influences also are tary paraphernalia from the clear — in bamboo sticks Vietnam War, where he was and small squares of texawarded the purple heart; a School, but he was just one tured Joss paper, used in Johnny Cash CD; photoof many pupils taught by Chinese ancestor-worshipgraphs of friends; a greeting Throm. Years later, when ing rituals and ceremonies. card describing a Taurus — their paths crossed as “It makes you feel like his Zodiac sign — as opinadults, “I didn’t remember there was a spiritual reason ionated and persistent. him,” she says with a smile. he gravitated to it over and
“But everything in the “I would tell him that.” over again,” says Webster, room is an ofrenda,” WebAfter high school, he co-executive director of the ster adds. served in Vietnam and later A&H Museums.
Mexico was supremely graduated from Florida And keep an eye out for a important to Greathouse, Atlantic University in Boca particular favorite color: a who maintained a home Raton. He also lived in a deep, purplish red. and studio there; the couple commune and traveled the “He can’t do without lived there much of the country in his VW bus. Alizarin crimson,” Throm time. says.Foratime,heworkedfor
“Mexico is so full of Throm, who headed ValenWebster recounts an color,” says Throm, who is a cia College’s arts programs. anecdote from Greathouse’s jewelry artist. “Cicero is She recalls his impressive time as an A&H artist-inreally a colorist.” stature could be a disadvanaction, a program that gives
But Greathouse was an tage when he was setting artists studio space for a avid traveler to all corners up a galley. year to create in a new of the globe. The son of an “He was 6-foot-4,” she environment. Greathouse Army officer, he was born explains, “and I would go in was breaking down a cardin 1950 in Fukuoaka, Japan. and say, ‘Cicero, you’ve board box when he noticed He also lived in Germany hung those paintings too the shape the various flaps before his father retired and high. No one else will see and folds were creating. moved the family to Orthem.’ ” Inspiration struck. lando. The Maitland exhibit Works with that shape,
That’s where he first contains work from all as well as the distinctive encountered his future facets of his career. His pattern of corrugated cardwife: She was his art student days are repreboard, are on view. teacher at Colonial High sented by intricate line His Disney work is rep
resented, too — a congratulatory note from legendary Imagineer Marty Sklar, a special construction hard hat emblazoned with Mickey Mouse in his “Sorcerer’s Apprentice” robe and pointy hat.
“Cicero always felt like he learned so much at Disney,” Throm says.
He traveled abroad with another name from the Disney pantheon, Imagineer Joe Rohde, when they were designing Animal Kingdom. Among their artistic contributions: the deep ruts in the theme
park’s African safari attraction, which provide a more tactile experience for guests. He believed in detail: Based on his observations, the ruts include children’s footprints.
“Cicero always said ‘Most people won’t even see that, but it’s part of the story,’ ” Throm recalls.
For all Greathouse’s worldwide experience, though, Florida remained close to his heart. Kahren Jones Arbitman, a friend and retired museum curator, pays him tribute in the exhibition.
“His goal was to capture the totality of the Florida experience: the vast sky stretching out in all directions, the sunsets made of tinted steam, the ecosystems bubbling beneath the mangroves,” she writes. “Cicero’s talent was that he could meld these visual, tactile, and audible sensations on a single canvas.”