RJ Ogren

Experience

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  Self -Employed

  Jan 1963 - now

  Scenic Designer / Scenic Artist

  Designing sets for theatre productions around the U.S.rjogren.com

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  Artist RJ Ogren - self employed

  Jan 1966 - now

  Artist

  Former Walt Disney World Artist. One of the four management artists at WDW in the 1970's and early 80's. Worked on and painted all the figures (Audio-animatronic and others), sets, props and murals in all Magic Kingdom shows. I am a full time Artist with numerous commissioned paintings and wall murals in the USA , Canada and England. My work can be viewed at www.rjogren.com My wife Suzanne and I co-wrote the book "Together in the Dream" is receiving great reviews and selling well, as is my book "The Design of FearThey are available at www,ThemeParkPress.com and Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Together-Dream-Careers-Husband-Decades/dp/1941500676/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1477592484&sr=1-1&keywords=together+in+the+dream https://www.amazon.com/Design-Fear-Artists-Hauntings-Creations/dp/1683900189/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1474482229&sr=1-1&keywords=the+design+of+fearI have two illustrated two published books "Willard the Wizard" and "George C. Marshall - Soldier and Statesman" I am currently illustrating two children's books with two authors. As a scenic designer and scenic artist I continue to work on numerous shows for stage, special events and television. Show less

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  Walt Disney Artist

  Jan 1976 - Mar 1980

  Artist

  One of four management artists working on all figures, sets, props and murals in the Magic Kingdom attractions.

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  Self Employed

  Jan 1980 - now

  Artist (fine art) and Co-Author of three Disney books and author of fourth book.

  Paintings by commission - acrylic on stretched canvas. Contact me through Facebook Messenger at https://www.facebook.com/rjogren for information, prices and commission process. Co-authored three Disney books with Suzanne Ogren. "Together in the Dream', "Remembering the Magic" and "Imagination and Dreams Are Forever" and also author of "The Design of Fear" www.ThemeParkPress.com and available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=rj+ogren&ref=nb_sb_noss

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  Encore Theatre - Orlando

  Jun 1985 - Aug 1986

  Owner/producer/director/actor

  Produced and worked on six plays as actor, director and scenic designer.89 seat thaeatre

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  James Best Theatre and Professional Acting School

  Aug 1986 - Jun 1989

  Managing Director/teacher/comedy club MC

  Managing Director of Professional Acting School (Film Technique and Stage Acting) with President and owner James Best. Master of Ceremonies of Comedy Olympics Show produced by James Best.Taught classes in stage acting and James Best's film acting technique

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  RJ Ogren - fine art

  Jun 2010 - now

  Owner and artist

  Landscape paintings of England, WWII paintings in black and white. Cartoon paintings. Limited edition prints also available in all categories.Limited edition prints of Virginia Military InstituteView my website at www.rjogren-artist.com and on Facebook at RJ Ogren the Artist. Studio is located in my home in Naperville just outside of Chicago

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  Guest speaker

  Jan 2013 - now

  Guest Speaker

  Coupled with my wife Suzanne we offer a unique blend of humor and inspirational stories about our Walt Disney World careers and our book "Together in the Dream". We offer numerous visual items from photos to actual items from the attractions. As actors we are able to connect with the audience for an enjoyable and informative motivational event.Fee Range: Please contact Through Linkedin or at rjogren@gmail.com

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  City of Wheaton

  Jun 2013 - Oct 2014

  Pearls of the Universe

  70' x 23' Mural depicting the diversity of the citizens of Wheaton coming from other lands and different peoples.This mural took a year to complete but actually only 14 weeks of actual work. Weather conditions and a severe head injury caused the delays. My talented grandson Alex Blanchard helped finish the mural in the month of October 2014 and he also kept me from falling off the scaffolding. I was still having severe dizziness from my injury in late May 2014. We raced the weather and incoming cold to finish it. Show less

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  Co-auther of "Together in the Dream"​, "Remembering the Magic"​ and author of "The Design of Fear"​

  Feb 2014 - Feb 2020

  Author

  Disney legend Alice Davis (wife of Disney artist Marc Davis) wrote the forward for this book that follows the unusual and often amusing stories of RJ and Suzanne Ogren as they worked at the Magic Kingdom in the 70's and 80's. RJ as a management artist working on all audioanimatronic figures in the attractions and Suzanne working as a monorail pilot, character (Sleepy the Dwarf) and in Entertainment Management. Their work with numerous Disney icons in art and entertainment shaped their lives and their dreams, Great reviews including the latest from the Huffington Post Available at ThemeParkPress.com and Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Together-Dream-Careers-Husband-Decades/dp/1941500676/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_pdt_img_top?ie=UTF8 https://www.amazon.com/Remembering-Magic-Stories-Disney-Careers/dp/1683900413/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487714257&sr=8-1&keywords=remembering+the+magic"Remembering the Magic is the sequel to "Together in the Dream" "The Design of Fear: An Artist's Hauntings and Creations From Walt Disney World's Haunted Mansion and Beyond" Creating 3-D haunted houses and coming in contact with real and imagined ghosts over the years. Often amusing and scary accounts from the middle of corn fields to the bowels of the HMS Queen Mary. www.themeparkpress.com www.rjogren.com Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Design-Fear-Artists-Hauntings-Creations/dp/1683900189/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1477593930&sr=1-1&keywords=the+design+of+fear Show less

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  Bard in the Burbs

  Jan 2017 - now

  Scenic designer, scenic artist and actor

  Scenic Design and acting now with "Bard in the Burbs" in the Chicago area. Shakespeare productions with Sean Ogren as Artistic Director and Suzanne Ogren as Director. Scenic designer / scenic artist for numerous sets in Illinois, Florida, Connecticut and California including "The Elephant Man, "Spamalot", "1776", "Full Circle", "The Incorruptibles", "Black Comedy", "Sound of Music", Into the Woods"', Anastasia", "Same Time Next Year", "And then There Were None", Music Man", "Steel Magnolias", "Amadeus", "39 Steps","Spamelot", Forbidden Broadway".Scenic artist on "Picasso at the Lapin Agile" and "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels". Acted in various productions including "1776', "Black Comedy", "Same Time Next Year", "Music Man", "Mame", "Anastasia" and "The Normal Heart" and "The Fantastics". Show less