rUSSELL
HEALEY
about me
I reluctantly filled in the moat I had dug in the backyard (it didn't hold water, anyway) and had to promise to not dig up my mom's flower beds or alter the landscape anymore. After just one summer, she had finally had enough of my crazy projects. So, at age 12, my big plans for a backyard theme park ended as quickly as they had started. At least it was a good ride for my friends while it lasted.
As it turns out, my short-lived amateur attraction design career was only the beginning of a lifelong fascination with all things theme park related.
I couldn't get enough of the art, music and news of upcoming projects from Disneyland and Walt Disney World. I mailed away for and collected as many brochures from theme parks and tourist attractions as I could. I wrote letters to Disneyland asking every question I could think of. And I imagined the day when I could officially be involved somehow in this world that I loved and to inspire and make people as happy as that world had made me.
Along the way, my creativity manifested itself through my interests in model building, sketching, painting, animation and graphic design. Music remained a passion; I am a self-taught producer, audio engineer, guitar, bass guitar and ukulele player. I have a love for travel, and find inspiration in the natural beauty and cultures of exotic locations, especially Hawaii and the islands of the South Pacific.
I am a Los Angeles native with deep roots in the architecture of the city. My grandfather designed several high profile projects throughout the city, including the private residences of Bing Crosby and Gene Autry. My dad then took over my grandfather's construction company and built public buildings across the Los Angeles area, specializing in government contracts.
I aspire to honor and continue the legacy of my father and grandfather, all the theme park designers that came before me...and that 12-year-old theme park designer in my mom's backyard.
