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Since starting a profitable business in his teens and still today --
Winton is never without a bit of clay or a sketch pad and pencil.
Don and Norma Winton's adventures and stories are numerous, any one of them would probably be a highlight for a
"normal person", but Winton (true) tales keep adding up. A book was written about the Wintons in
1997 and they have done enough since then, that I think a Volume #2 is in order.
Highlights and quotes
- In Collector's Guide to Don Winton Designs, Don is quoted as saying 'I knew since I was five that I wanted to be a sculptor'.
It was about that time his mother bought some clay to keep the two energetic twins, Don and Ross, busy.
- In high school the twins -- had a profitable business selling clay cartoon animals.
Apparently good enough to make the Disney folks take notice.
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One of Don's football teammates in high school was Jackie Robinson and they continued that friendship
after high school.
- Still in high school, Don worked for Busch gardens making gnomes for their shop.
- Twin Winton Studios was started in 1938 by the twin brothers-- making and manufacturing small animals.
- In 1947 he sculpted the winner of the Rose Queen title, Norma Christopher - who later became his wife.
- It was at this time that Don and Norma became friends with Bob Hope, the Grand Marshall of the parade --
he even gave them a wedding present.
Years later, Don felt honored to be chosen to sculpt a Bob Hope statue for the Sahara Hotel.
- Also that year (1947) was the start of the well-known Twin Winton Hillbilly series.
- In 1952 the boys sold their company to older brother Bruce
and Don became the only designer for Twin Winton. He was freelancing for Twin Winton, along with a
multitude of
other companies.
- Don Winton has been commissioned by Disney for various projects for over 45 years, starting back
around 1954.
'The first thing I did was a model of the Castle, it was before Disneyland was built.
It was a playpen type of thing about four feet in diameter and made out of plastic.
I've done all of their characters over the years, even Steamboat Willie!'
- His commissions read like the yellow pages of American Business - including Franklin Mint,
Alberta Ceramics, American Bisque, Revell Toys, Frito Co.,
Bacardi Rum, Gerber Toys, Scripto, the movie Ben Hur (coins), Bob's Big Boy,
Brayton Laguna Pottery, Brush Pottery,
Kenner Toys, Kool Aid, Carnation, Mattel Toy Company, Chicken of the Sea, Coca Cola,
Colgate, Van De Kemp, Disneyland, Duncan Royal, Pan American Airlines,
Hanna Berber, Hagen-Renaker Disney Characters, Ford, and Howard Johnsons.
A lengthy, more complete list can be found in "Collector's Guide to Don Winton Designs".
- Winton has sculpted the John Wooden Trophy, Academy of Country Music Award, numerous coins -
including a series of coins for the Reagan library, and a bust of Reagan for the Presidential library.
- The famous Mickey Mouse telephone was designed and patented in the seventies.
- He and a collegue have just recently completed a commission for the USC athletic department.
The sculpture consists of five bronze All American football players, and stands in front of Heritage Hall.
- Winton has sculpted a series of one-of-kind cookie jars, one per year, that have been
auctioned off at an annual cookie jar event. His last jar was sold in 2002 for $4000.
- Don and Norma are both very active church goers, participating in a
church that teaches the entire Bible, Genesis through Revelation, in weekly studies.
The Scriptures have become the foundation of their lives and
Norma teaches an independent weekly Bible study to a group of 25 women.
- Although it may be Don's hands that do the actual sculpting, it is evident that Norma is
part of every sculpture he creates. They are true partners in life and business, having been so since
1948. Their life together is an inspiration to all that are fortunate enough to know them.
~Barbara Crews
Sources include:
Collector's Guide to Don Winton Designs
The book is out of print, but
copies can still be found on the Internet.
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