Topper Helmers
About Topper Helmers Biography *
With an Impressive background as a commercial and fine artist , Topper Helmers is one of the most highly respected creative professionals in the Themed Entertainment Industry. After leaving BRC Imagination Arts , Topper has expanded his horizon's by working for himself. As a freelance designer , he provides projects with a creative vision and transforming that vision into reality through the use of a variety of artistic media.While at BRC for 5 years , Topper served as a Senior Concept Designer for projects such as ; The Presidential Lincoln Library and Museum in Springfield , Illinois ; The Henry Ford Legacy Plant Tour in Detroit , Michigan . Several Projects for NASA ; The Naples Botanical Garden in Naples , Florida ; Volkswagen Transparent Factory Visitor Experience in Dresden , Germany ; The Movie Magic film attraction for Universal Studios, Japan ; The National Cowgirl Hall Museum and Hall of Fame in Ft. Worth , Texas. ; The Sapmi Magic Theater in Karasjok, Norway ; Behind the Badge! The LAPD Experience in Los Angeles, California. and The San Deigo Hall of Champions Sports Museum in Balboa Park, San Diego, California.
Before joining BRC, Topper worked for Walt Disney Imagineering from 1990 to 1998, and with Universal Creative Core Team for a brief 4 months. As a show designer Topper worked on a multitude of projects, including over 2 years designing the Indiana Jones Attraction at Disneyland , designing large portions of Dinoland for Animal Kingdom in Florida and working extensively on California's Adventure.
Topper's background is as varied as his Imagineering career. Drawing everything from Comic books for D.C., Marvel, Malibu, Eclectus and Icon Blonde Comics to storyboarding for Live Action, Animation and Ad Agencies around Southern California. Other projects have included Audio cassette cover designs, DVD covers, Toy designs and packaging, coloring books and magazine illustrations.
Already a master of many different media and styles, Topper is passionate about continually refining his work through classes and apprenticeships. He has been studying under the tutelage of renowned entertainment industry artist Tom Gilleon, Dan Goozzee and Steve Huston for several years, and has made numerous trips to study and work with Tom in Montana.
Already participating in the Herb Ryman Art Exhibit's at Walt Disney Imagineering, Topper's first one-man art show debuted November 1, 1998 at the Underhill Gallery in San Diego. His work for the Indiana Jones attraction was also recently featured in the highly publicized Architecture of Reassurance exhibit at the Armand Hammer Museum of Art and Cultural Center in Los Angeles.
Topper currently lives with his wife Linda, and their two dogs in Burbank, California, in the shadows of the Walt Disney Company. A collector of Original Art, toy tractors, trains, mission furniture, Fiesta ware, children's illustrated books and it seems just about everything else.