Illustrator Jerrod Maruyama is a prolific creator – his social media feeds are a constant wave of the cute and adorable, twee designs inspired by all facets of pop culture. His ever present love of all things Disney lead him to be one of the artists chosen to open Disney’s WonderGround Gallery in Downtown Disney.
Maruyama’s take on the Disney Universe is one of pure joy — innocent and child-like, his versions of classic characters like Mickey and Minnie Mouse to the new arrivals of Buzz and Woody, show what is inherently appealing and lovable about these figures and our connected histories.
There is a purity to his illustrations, a reverence for the material and the audience’s relationship to it. When tackling the world of Star Wars, Maruyama shows a keen sense of how to use ‘cute’ to its best affect. On his illustration ‘May The Force Be With You,’ we witness the death of Greedo, the last gasp of Jabba the Hutt. In a previous interview with ETDC, Maruyama explained, “I think cute is more effective when it’s in contrast to the subject matter at hand. Pushing that contrast results in a much more interesting take.”
As Disney continues to create work that fits every moment in a lifetime, Maruyama is there to celebrate the joy of childhood and innocence, everything that Disney and the parks embrace.
‘Some Imagination’ by Jerrod Maruyama
‘Night Time Magic’ Jerrod Maruyama
‘It’s a Small Galaxy After All’ by Jerrod Maruyama
‘May the Force Be With You’ by Jerrod Maruyama for WonderGround Gallery
‘Happy Haunts’ by Jerrod Maruyama
‘Small World Of Cute’ by Jerrod Maruyama
‘It’s a Small World’ by Jerrod Maruyama
‘A World Of Cute’ by Jerrod Maruyama for WonderGround Gallery
‘A World Of Evil’ by Jerrod Maruyama for WonderGround Gallery
‘Love Takes Flight’ by Jerrod Maruyama
