CREATIVE EXECUTIVE

Steve Kirk serves as the creative executive of Kirk Design a consulting company specializing in creative content, conceptual design and art direction for the leisure entertainment market.

Prior to founding his own company, Steve worked with Walt Disney Imagineering in lead creative roles for over 25 years. For the past 10 years, he assumed the overall creative leadership of Tokyo Disney Sea as Senior Vice President.

Tokyo DisneySea is a 3 billion-dollar, 10 million guest per year theme park adjacent to Tokyo Disneyland Japan consisting of seven themed lands, major entertainment and the Mira Costa Hotel which is incorporated into the body of the park. Michael Eisner calls TDS "A crown jewel..…".

Recognized as an exceptionally diverse creative talent, Steve’s Disney career began as a show designer in 1976 where he conceived and designed the Abominable Snowman for the Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland.

He subsequently joined the team to turn the concept of Epcot into reality. Steve was one of the primary concept designers responsible for creating ideas and designs for The Land pavilion, concentrating on the Kitchen Kabaret show, sponsored by the Kraft Co. He played a major role in the concepts behind the Journey into Imagination pavilion where his creation the Dream-catching Machine was utilized. One of Steve’s more famous initial concepts include the Dreamfinder and Figment, long term Kodak sponsored characters. Another success in his EPCOT design years can still be seen in the Wonders of Life pavilion, in which he was instrumental in the concept and design of Cranium Command, sponsored by Metropolitan Life.

Additionally, Steve was designer for the Pan-Galactic Pizza Port where he took the attraction from concept to field installation at Tokyo Disneyland Astrozone. As Design Director, he was responsible for the concept and show design aspects of a proposed second-gate theme park for the Euro Disney Resort, Disney MGM Studio Europe.

Throughout his Imagineering career Steve’s concept and design efforts have became successful attractions, such as Florida’s Disney MGM Studios Tower of Terror, and the Great Movie Ride. As well as his Imagineering responsibilities, Steve designed and produced several commissioned art projects. Harlan Ellison, a fantasy, science-fiction author with a flair for creative and unusual settings, commissioned Steve to create and install intricately sculptured columns which decorate the inside of his home. He also designed, sculpted and produced a Martian-Byzantine bas-relief wall fronting the Ellison property. Steve’s many humorous and fantastic sculptures are owned by various prominent individuals such as Ray Bradbury and Dean Koontz. Due to Steve’s sculptures and other commissioned pieces, he was requested to design the annual Bram Stoker Award for the Horror Writers of America.

Prior to becoming an Imagineer, Steve was an illustrator and sculptor. His previous experience with theme design includes shows and attractions for Knott's Berry Farm, Berry Tales and Busch Gardens.

Steve attended California State University, Long Beach, earning a bachelor of fine arts degree in illustration, with a minor in sculpture.