Missions Unknown » Art

Contemporary Art Month in San Antonio

Mission Control — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 06:01:03 +0000

The city of San Antonio goes all out for art in the month of March, the new home on the calendar for Contemporary Art Month (CAM). While art of the fantastic is not on many venues, readers of Missions Unknown may find a few gems in the CAM calendar of events. A few examples follow:

Psychedelic-inspired art by Alex Rubio

Psychedelic: Optical and Visionary Art since the 1960s at the San Antonio Museum of Art: In 1956, Dr. Humphry Osmond coined the term ‘psychedelic’ to refer to hallucinatory experiences produced by the use of drugs during psychotherapeutic practices. Soon, Timothy Leary and the counter-culture’s hippie movement in America advocated “turning on, tuning in, and dropping out” as a means of intentionally seeking an intensified, sensory experience. Additionally, the 1960s saw the advent of color television, fluorescent paints, and the Op Art movement’s experimentation with optical mixing to achieve dazzling color effects; all of which introduced a new visual language of extreme color and kaleidoscopic space into contemporary culture. By the end of the decade, one did not have to consume drugs to encounter a “trip”; the psychedelic aesthetic was experienced with light shows, lava lamps, posters and buttons, record album covers, fashion, and stage design for TV shows such as Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In, The Ed Sullivan Show, and The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour.

Although psychedelic culture began to decline by the mid-1970s, one of its legacies is an aesthetic sensibility that has continued to evolve over the years and, more recently, has gained favor in growing numbers among contemporary artists.

For the first time in history, the San Antonio Museum of Art explores and investigates the origins and development of a “psychedelic sensibility” in contemporary art of the past forty years: from Op Art of the early 1960s to the abstract and visionary representations of the present day.

Check after the jump for Lewis Carroll, Malaquais Montoya and Ansen Seale.

Work by Malaquias Montoya

Carroll Through the Looking Glass at Calcasieu Gallery: The Black Light Contingent presents “Carroll Through the Looking Glass,” a presentation of art inspired by the life and work of Lewis Carroll, author of Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. The Contingent will present several of Carroll’s works including Alice In Wonderland, poetry from his seminal collection, Phantasmagoria, his humorous play Euclid and his Modern Rivals and will highlight interpretations of his work, published under his real name, Charles Ludwig Dodgson, “The Tangled Tale” and “Curiosa Mathematica: A New Theory of Parallels,” the latter a notable excursion into shedding light on some of the work Carroll produced as Head Lecturer at Oxford University. The Black Light Contingent will truly illuminate the manuscripts of Lewis Carroll with their visually stunning ultraviolet exhibit, a presentation of fluorescent work in homage to a literary master who inevitably captured the imagination of generations.

Globalization & War — The Aftermath at The University of Texas at San Antonio Art Gallery (Main Campus): These works by Malaquias Montoya, create a dialogue between viewer and painter, conveying the universal story of the consequences of power and war, which includes peoples of all cultures. This exhibition presents a mirror for viewers to see themselves in portraits that focus on the destruction of people’s existence resulting in the uprooting of their lives, the result of displacement, and the loss of culture caused by corporate globalization and the tragedies of war. In each image, we see the human spirit at its most vulnerable point, in the shadows between obliteration, devastation and survival.

Montoya is a leading figure in the West Coast political Chicano graphic arts movement, a political and socially conscious movement that expresses itself primarily through the mass production of silk-screened posters. Montoya’s works include acrylic paintings, murals, washes, and drawings, but he is primarily known for silkscreen prints, which have been exhibited nationally as well as internationally. He is credited by historians as being one of the founders of the “social serigraphy” movement in the San Francisco Bay Area in the mid-1960s. His visual expressions, art of protest, depict the struggle and strength of humanity and the necessity to unite behind that struggle.

Ansen Seale's "Temporal Form #10"

Celebrating Contemporary Art Month at Bismarck Studios: Included in this exhibition are Ansen Seale’s slit-scan photography, Tim McMean’s combination of the printmaking medium and painting, Billy Keen’s dialog about free will, and Thess Muth’s glitter compositions. Seale’s surreal photographs are especially notable. He captures a photographic view of a three dimensional scene but substitutes one of the axes of the standard three dimensions for the fourth dimension of time. And all using a camera he developed himself!

Coverspotting in SA: January 2010

John Picacio — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 06:00:48 +0000

Books spotted 12/30/09 at Borders Books at Alamo Quarry

Conrad A. Williams
DECAY INEVITABLE
Solaris
Cover art by Dave McKean

Yay, abstraction! Good to see some abstraction in a genre cover illustration these days. It’s a Dave McKean and does the job well — grabs the eye and says “hey, check this out.”

Solaris is a UK-based publisher and even if you don’t know that, the typography choice says they are. It’s understated and lets the art do the talking. Seems to me that British publishers as a whole seem more willing to offer that subtlety in their type choices and point sizes (as well as capital and lower-case mixtures), while US type design choices tend toward outdoing neighboring books with bombast, and big capital letters, especially on mass market paperbacks. I wonder if US publishers feel like mass market books need to have giant type to have a chance to be seen? (Not speaking of all fiction, but genre fiction covers at any rate.) Wasn’t always that way with US genre covers, but it seems moreso these days.

Charles De Lint
MUSE AND REVERIE
Tor Books
Cover art by John Jude Palencar

Here’s an example of a US cover design that has really elegant and complementary type design. It’s not a mass-market book like the one above. It’s a trade paperback so it’s got a little more size to work with, but like the example above, it’s not trying to out-scream the competition. It lets the art do the talking. And it gets your attention. Strong illustration by John Jude Palencar.

Charles De Lint
MEMORY & DREAM
Orb Books
Cover art by John Howe
Cover design by Jamie Stafford-Hill

More understated typography on a US genre cover. Love the way the author’s name “rolls” around at the top. Great illustration by John Howe. I’m not sure what prompted the castellation effect across the top and bottom of the illustration frame, but it sure works to pull your eye in and out of the illo. Really smart.

A.M. Dellamonica
INDIGO SPRINGS
Tor Books
Cover art by Julie Bell

Lou Anders, editorial and art director of Pyr, brought this one to my attention. Made us both wonder if there’s a story behind the making of this cover. The cover illustration is by the great Julie Bell, which totally would have fooled me because of the cropping and design treatment of the illo. Normally her work is very narrative and presented in a straight-forward way. Instead, this one has unusual cropping, in addition to a pinstriping effect across the entire illo. Lou’s guess is that the design choices as well as the font choices are intended to neuter the genre aspect of the work and attempt to make it appear to be a trade fiction title. Good guess. Hard to say. Nevertheless, it’s an unusual, but elegant design solution.

Stephen King Art Beast Has Arrived!

John Picacio — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:52:53 +0000

Here's the slipcase cover for KNOWING DARKNESS. Art by Don Maitz.

KNOWING DARKNESS: ARTISTS INSPIRED BY STEPHEN KING is massive and it’s here. It’s a gigantic art book published by Centipede Press, and it celebrates the full spectrum of visuals illustrating Stephen King’s books and media. Words can’t describe it, so I won’t even try. It’s not a cheap book, but it is one for the ages. Want one? Here are the details. I own one and I’m one of the artists featured in the book. This is my contribution — an original illustration inspired by King’s ‘SALEM’S LOT. Who else is featured? Michael Whelan, Bob Eggleton, Bernie Wrightson, Drew Struzan, Phil Hale, Dave McKean, John Jude Palencar, and so much more….it’s a tour-de-force. Trust me — if you ever have a chance to see this thing in person, or own one, you won’t regret it. The printing values are superior, and it’s just a masterpiece from beginning to end.

Coverspotting in SA: December 2009

John Picacio — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:38:15 +0000

Books spotted 12/1/09 at Borders Books at Alamo Quarry

THE DEAD THAT WALK
Edited by Stephen Jones
Ulysses Press
Cover art by Les Edwards

Zombie book covers were all the rage this year, weren’t they? Just when I thought I was well and done with any more zombie covers, Les Edwards does one that makes it all seem fresh again. Dynamite cover art by Les. I like the way the type treatment integrates with the illo as the zombie hand intersects the “W”. Nice move. The type is still perfectly legible, and the cover gains added depth. It’s also nice to see that a gouged-out eye and a bloody, amputated limb are so mainstream now that this book got faced-out at Borders Books. Or does that mean that blood-sucking limb-eaters are so mainstream that they need to retire until they regain their edge? You make the call.

John Langan
HOUSE OF WINDOWS
Night Shade Books
Cover art by Santiago Caruso
Cover design by Michael Gin

This one makes me think fondly of THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI. It’s a great piece of cover illustration, and stands on its own. Caruso’s an Argentinian illustrator, and I’ve never heard of him before. Glanced at his blog, and I really like a lot of what I see. Not every image of his hits home for me, but the ones that do are deeply potent and resonant. I love the way he sees the world. Note: if you view his blog at your workplace, you might turn down the sound as he has a nice soundtrack that accompanies his blog. Terrific music, but probably not worth losing your job over.

Scott Westerfeld
LEVIATHAN
Simon & Schuster/Simon Pulse
Jacket design & illustration by Sammy Yuen, Jr.
Wing illustration by Keith Thompson

Westerfeld’s LEVIATHAN probably doesn’t need any further pimping from me. It’s been well-pimped throughout the intertubes and its readers already can’t wait for the next book, but I’ve gotta tip my hat to Westerfeld and Thompson for shining a spotlight on inspired writer/artist collaboration for the interior illos and storytelling. And I think the cover packaging speaks for itself for sheer baroque steampunky goodness.

Jeff Vandermeer
FINCH
Underland Press
Cover art & design by John Coulthart

I’ve commented on Twitter how much I admire this cover. Now that FINCH has been released in softcover here in the US, let me restate that. Coulthart’s long been admired as a supremely gifted designer, but this is one of his greatest hits ever. Whenever he works on a Vandermeer book, it seems to bring out the best in him (remember THE THACKERY T. LAMBSHEAD POCKET GUIDE TO ECCENTRIC & DISCREDITED DISEASES?). This is definitely one of my favorite covers of 2009.

Hey, SA: Your Most Memorable SF/F Book Covers?

Mission Control — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:00:35 +0000

A tip of the hat to the mighty SF Signal — their Mind Meld post this week asked several artists, experts, and opinion-makers to share their picks for the most memorable sf/f book covers. If you haven’t checked it out yet, please do so. We here at Missions Unknown enjoyed it so much that we decided to extend the question to San Antonio sf/f fans — what are YOUR most memorable sf/f book covers? Please share them below in the comments section. Meanwhile, here are Missions Unknown’s picks. Enjoy!

PAUL VAUGHN (see images of Paul’s selections above):

Conan the Conqueror by Robert E. Howard (Art by Frank Frazetta): From early on I was a fan of the art of Frazetta. His covers lured me in to reading Tarzan books, but his covers for Conan were the ones I liked the best. There are several great ones to choose from, making settling on just one difficult. I’m drawn to the cover to Conan the Conqueror because of the dynamism of Conan astride his warhorse, not even holding the reins amidst a horde of a shadowy undead army surrounded by flames and tempest. It certainly didn’t hurt that the illustration also made it to the cover the the 1980 Molly Hatchet album “Beatin’ the Odds”.

At the Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft (Art by Michael Whelan): I was seriously into the works of H.P. Lovecraft for a while and those books are often weird enough to give an artist a lot of latitude. I was stunned when many of his stories were reissued in the late 80s/early 90s with incredibly moody black-and-white-and-red covers by Whelan. Maybe they don’t have so much to do with the specific content of the books, but they are eye-catchingly creepy/gorgeous.

The Colour Out of Space by H.P. Lovecraft (Art by ?????): Lovecraft books seem to have suffered every level and style of art imaginable, perhaps a tribute to the vagaries of his prose. The Colour Out of Space is one of my favorite of his short stories and this illustration lends an abstract surreal creepiness that beckons me to pick it up and read it again. This edition is from 1969, but I cannot give credit to the artist.

Frank Kelly Freas’ As He Sees It (Artbook. Cover by Freas.): I found this Freas cover fascinating when I first saw it. The look on the robot’s face seems a mix of consternation and remorse and the illustration has just enough blood to make the point. This one originally appeared on the cover of Astounding Science Fiction in 1953 and Freas used it again for the cover of his collected works. The rock band Queen also commissioned Freas to modify the image for their album “News of the World”.

1984 by George Orwell (Art by Shepard Fairey): I really dig Fairey’s new covers for the Orwell classics 1984 and Animal Farm. He captures the tone of 1984 brilliantly with a neo-constructivist aesthetic that jumps off the shelf. I feel oppressed just looking at it.

SANFORD ALLEN: The covers I chose were four that made a huge impression on me during my youth. Each, in its own way, reminds me of the sense of wonder that lured me to sf, fantasy and horror books in the first place.

The Sailor on the Seas of Fate by Michael Moorcock (Art by Michael Whelan) – I was enraptured by Michael Moorcock’s Elric books as a pre-teen and remember spending hours looking at Michael Whelan’s cover art, struck by its otherworldly beauty. This cover illustration remains my favorite image of Moorcock’s iconic fantasy antihero. Love the winged helmet and all the crazy details of the armor and ship.

At The Mountains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft (Art by Michael Whelan) – This second image is kind of a cheat on my part, because it’s actually a pair of paintings (check it out) that were parsed out across Del Rey’s ‘80s seven-book H.P. Lovecraft collection. Whelan’s art so effectively evoked Lovecraft’s sense of cosmic dread that I couldn’t narrow it down to just one cover. I don’t think I’m alone in thinking these two are Whelan’s finest work.

The Swords of Lankhmar by Fritz Leiber (Art by Jeffrey Jones) – This cover was so awe-inspiring that I purchased the book without knowing a thing about it. I don’t even think I read the back cover. If I remember correctly, it set me back all of $1.75 — almost a week’s worth of allowance. Apparently, nothing quite captures a kid’s imagination like a caped spaceman on the back of a sea monster.

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick (Art by ?????) – Does anyone out there know who illustrated this? I saw this edition in the sf section of our local bookstore as a kid and remember being both frightened and awed by it. I had no idea who Dick was at the time, but the art led me to explore his work a few years later. I eventually understood just how well that surreal and grotesque illustration captured the spirit of Dick’s writing.

MISTAH PETE:

A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs (Art by Michael Whelan) – Along with the usual movies (Star Wars) and TV (Star Trek), what turned me into a fan of science-related fantasy was the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs. He was rich and famous for Tarzan, of course, but he also created John Carter of Mars. A Civil War-era soldier transported to Mars, Carter finds romance and swashbuckling adventure in the exotic red world the natives call Barsoom. The first book was A Princess of Mars, and with a cover like this, what red-blooded American boy wouldn’t snatch it into his mitts? And check out the full wraparound art!

Doc Savage: Brand of the Werewolf by Kenneth Robeson (Art by James Bama) – The Doc Savage books were reprinted in the 60s and 70s, probably in conjunction with a pretty lame movie that was released about then. Doc was the science hero to end all science heroes, and every action character from Superman to Indiana Jones owes some debt to him. The covers were painted by western artist James Bama, using actor Steve (“Flash Gordon”) Holland as a model. Every cover is a classic, but this one for “Brand of the Werewolf” stands out, and is more believable than the CGI in the new Twilight movie.

Planet of the Dreamers by John D. MacDonald (Art by ?????) – As I grew older, I lost interest in science fiction and started picking up detective novels instead. But I couldn’t help feeling a certain rush at seeing a spaceship or alien landscape. So imagine my excitement when I found what looked like a space opera by my favorite hardboiled PI writer, John D. MacDonald. Imagine my further excitement at a cigarette in a space helmet. Hell yeah.

Masters of Atlantis by Charles Portis (Art/design by ?????) – You have no idea how much I want to pretend that this book lives up to the title (and cover) here. But in truth, it’s much better. It’s not the Erich Von Danikin-style expose of space travelers and lost civilizations. It’s a deadpan comedy about secret fraternal organizations by the most quietly-hilarious American author since Terry Southern. Imagine the secrets of the Illuminati revealed by Jacques Tati, in book form, and you might come close.

JOHN PICACIO: If you’ve seen the original SF Signal post, then you’ve already seen my choices, but here they are again for your convenience.

Violent Cases by Neil Gaiman & Dave McKean (Art by Dave McKean), UK edition – I first saw this cover at Forbidden Planet in London in 1990. It made my head explode. I was on a collegiate trip to Europe as part of my architectural undergrad degree studies. I think this cover officially began the countdown that marked my architectural days as numbered. It made me want to be a professional illustrator. It’s not my all-time favorite McKean, but it is the one that first made my head spin. It’s the one that made me realize that not only can pencils, pens, and paints be your palette, but that indeed the world could be.

The Illustrated Man by Ray Bradbury (Art by Jim Burns), US edition – How can any artist worth his/her salt not be in heaven illustrating a cover for this story? I think this Burns image is my favorite, especially the full wraparound art, but I also love this one (artist unknown)

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick (Art by Bruce Jensen), US edition – I recently had a conversation with Bruce Jensen at IlluXCon and told him how much his work influenced me. I think this cover had as much to do with it, as any. It’s one of my favorite examples of cover art that chooses to be evocative rather than literal, which is why I always love his work so much. His work always respects the viewer rather than spoon-feeds them.

Star Maker by Olaf Stapledon (Art by Les Edwards), UK edition – This one just hammers me every time. I favor Les’ work that happens when he dons his “Edward Miller” persona, but this image may be my favorite thing that either guy ever did. It needs no words, and makes me want the book all over again every time I see it.

SF Signal: Most Memorable SF/F Book Covers

John Picacio — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:48:42 +0000

John DeNardo and the braintrust of the mighty SF Signal has produced one of the most memorable Mind Melds yet, with today’s offering: Most Memorable SF/F Book Covers. It’s well worth a visit or two. They asked several sf/fantasy artists, art directors, and opinion-makers to share their responses. I was honored to be asked and submitted a few picks. My choices are pictured above, but you’ll have to check out their post for my thoughts about each, as well as the picks of Lou Anders, Gregory Manchess, Bob Eggleton, Maurizio Manzieri, John Coulthart, Dave Seeley and more!

This Friday, we’ll offer the same question to you, San Antonio. Our own Missions Unknown stalwarts will offer their picks as well. So start thinking of yours, and please share them with us this Friday.

IlluXCon 2: In Words & Pics

John Picacio — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:38:13 +0000

top left: Jordu Schell's Werewolf sculpture / top right: Julie Bell paints. / Bottom: A view of IlluXCon 2.

Remember that FIELD OF DREAMS line “Build it and they will come”? Pat and Jeannie Wilshire have done just that — built the best annual sf/fantasy art event of the year in their hometown of tiny Altoona, PA, and lo, the artists came. IlluxCon 2 happened this past weekend, and it was a blast. It’s a gathering of some of the best sf/fantasy artists in the world for a four-day weekend, exhibiting their art and hanging out with hardcore collectors, art directors, and sf/fantasy art afficionados — and unlike most sf/fantasy cons, this one’s all about celebrating the visual arts.

I was honored to be amongst the select list of invited artists who exhibited their work and talked shop — and it was definitely a diverse all-star list including Michael Whelan, Dave Seeley, Vincent Villafranca, Bob Eggleton, Eric Fortune, Bruce Jensen, Daren Bader, Donato Giancola, Boris Vallejo, Julie Bell, John Jude Palencar, Brom, Jordu Schell, Justin Gerard, Justin Sweet, Lucas Graciano, Michael Hayes, and many more. Pyr’s Lou Anders and Wizards of the Coast’s Jon Schindehette were amongst the art directors present to review student portfolios.

Like most art shows, the exhibition and selling of original art and merchandise is a big focus of the show, but what I liked about this one was the energy and camaraderie. The programming was terrific and art-centric ranging from demos to virtual studio discussions to art director q&a’s. IlluxCon was a first-class affair. Pat and Jeannie organized this from scratch. They’re passionate about sf/fantasy art and they’ve got a progressive can-do spirit. I think that makes all the difference in the world. They’ve presented a stellar case study for how to run a first-class art show, how to properly market a first-class art show, and they did it without the infrastructure and resources of larger sf/fantasy conventions.

It was an unforgettable trip, and I’m strongly considering returning for next year’s show. Here’s a Flickr set of iPhone shots to give you a taste of the action.

Made In SA: Jason Limon

John Picacio — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:37:34 +0000

JASON LIMON is a painter and one of San Antonio’s best-kept secrets. Personally, I think he’s so secret that even his own town doesn’t know about his paintings. On the international art circuit, it’s a different story though. He’s a rising art star and galleries from Los Angeles to Berlin are discovering his work. I first stumbled across it a couple of months ago via Twitter and felt an immediate kinship with him in that we’re both San Antonio artists making a full-time living trying to make art, while living under the radar here in SA. The current local art scene proclaims that SA is best when artists “Keep San Antonio Lame.” These days, the local art scene certainly lives down to that phrase, in my opinion. All too often, it champions ironic posturing, loose rhetoric, and tired cliche over solid draftsmanship, craft, and vision. In this climate, Jason’s work is a breath of fresh air. Is it science fictional? Is it fantasy? Is it horror? It’s all of it, and yet none of the above. I’m grateful that he took a few minutes out of his busy schedule to share a few words with MISSIONS UNKNOWN.

Artist’s bio: Jason Limon was born in San Antonio, Texas in 1973. He first showed his artistic expression at a fairly young age doodling characters and sceneries inspired by his bustling neighborhood and surroundings. He studied fine arts and graphic design at the Visual Arts & Technology Center at San Antonio College and entered the field of commercial graphic design in 1995 acquiring comprehensive knowledge of type, color and composition. Following twelve years of commitment to producing award winning logos and designs he then turned his focus and concentration to where his heart truly began: developing artwork by hand and brush, no longer by the clicks of a mouse. He is currently creating gallery work and commercial illustrations, some of which can be seen in COMMUNICATION ARTS, SOCIETY OF ILLUSTRATORS OF LOS ANGELES, AMERICAN ILLUSTRATION, PRINT REGIONAL DESIGN and GRAPHIS.

Favorite painters, comic book artists, and genre things include:

Hieronymus Bosch, Pieter Bruegel, Salvador Dali, Chet Zar, Chris Mars, Peter Marcek, William B. Hand; Chris Ware, Frank Miller, Frank Frazetta, Alex Ross, Daniel Clowes; listening to lots of podcasts including MYSTERIOUS UNIVERSE and MYSTERIES ABOUND as well as watching zombie movies (Jason: “Just watched DEAD SNOW –that was a good one!”)

Visionary San Antonio painter Jason Limon.

When did you know it was time to leave graphic design and begin your career as a painter? Was there a single event that was the final straw or was it a slow burn?

I can’t say that there was a final straw or that it was a slow burn. I had enjoyed it for a very long time. I was always learning something new on the computer and from those around me. What had caused me to start feeling worn down was sitting day after day in front of a computer. Towards the end of that career, I was feeling stifled by the computer itself. I missed being creative with just my bare hands and had a serious craving to begin painting again to get myself out of digital mode. So when the time felt right, I jumped right on in.

How long did it take for you to build a stable living as a painter once you decided to take the plunge?

That’s a good one, because I’m still in the stages of figuring out how to survive financially. I’ve only been painting full-time for two years and one of those years (2009) has been very rough with the economy being bad and all. But as I continue onward, I learn a lot from my mistakes, explore new ways to create opportunities from my art, and have tons of faith that things will turn out well.

How do you approach marketing your work? Do you consciously make efforts to do this, or have the opportunities just come your way?

When I first started approaching a variety of galleries that I felt might be interested in showing my work, I emailed a bit of info about me and a few sample images of my art. Fortunately, a handful wanted to work with me. Since then, things just kind of snowballed and other galleries contacted me on collaborating. Looking back, I’ve been very blessed to have the yearly schedules fill up with all sorts of exhibits and events.

I’m always promoting my work wherever possible, but mainly on the internet. I’m on all the social networking sites and connect with monthly newsletters. (Here’s Jason’s Twitter feed and his Facebook page.)

You seem to prefer doing personal work over commissioned work. Is that so? And if it is, why?

Yes, you can say that. Unless the commissioned piece gives me free range to paint whatever I want to paint. In the past, I found it hard to illustrate someone else’s thoughts or ideas. But as my style and goals have become more stable, I believe creating illustrations that go with the right kind of story or article will flow out easier. As it is right now though, I’m really happy to be releasing my own thoughts and visions.

Your work has a growing international presence. You live and work here in SA. Does the city impact your work in any way?

I don’t feel like this city itself has a huge impact on what I do. The only real connection I see is my love for old buildings from our past, and nature. San Antonio has quite a few old buildings. My favorite would be the Missions, excluding the Alamo. I can be inside these places or sitting out in their open fields, and feel ideas start coming to life. I enjoy being alone out there for long periods of time. San Antonio still has that “small town” feel and the good thing about the city is I’m not really distracted by so much activity around me. That does have it’s negative side though because there are not a whole lot of artists here working in the same vein nor any galleries exhibiting that type of work.

How much attention has the local art scene given to your work? Will any of your work be showing locally any time soon?

Zero. But then again, I haven’t tried real hard to get local attention. Maybe because I know that there will be very few here that would be interested in what I do, or would commit to purchasing something. The good news is other cities have asked for my presence, and in these places, the art has done well.

What’s your favorite part of the creative process?

That would be the initial sketch, where the visions first come to life and then the moment where I get to pause, step back and take a good look at the completed piece.

What’s been your proudest achievement thus far in your painting career?

It’s being a painter itself. Though it’s been somewhat of a struggle, I’ve got to say that I feel proud when I’m sitting in the home studio, painting for a living.

What are you currently working on? What’s next for you?

I’m finishing up a few pieces for a shared exhibit over in San Francisco this November. I’ll have ten new paintings and will be exhibiting with three other artists (Jeremiah Ketner, John Bergeron, and Ken Keirns). November is a big month. I’ll also be a part of large group exhibits in L.A., Berlin and Hamburg. In December I’ll begin preparing for my solo exhibit in Chicago in April of 2010. I’ve been thinking of somehow formatting the work so that I might be able to produce some sort of book from the art. Not sure yet. The main thing for me is that I continue growing and exploring as an artist. Every new painting is a step closer to where I belong.

Favorite food, drink, or restaurant that can be found nowhere else but SA?

Oh man. I love snow cones in the summer heat, but you can find snow cones anywhere. Rolando’s Super Taco is pretty delicious – carne guisada con queso. My wife and I enjoy The Guenther House. I dig into those biscuits. Pastor tacos from those little mobile taco vendors — those are tasty too!

Enjoy more Jason Limon art here, as well as his blog.

John Picacio to Illustrate ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’

Mission Control — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:20:20 +0000

A Song of Ice and Fire 2009 Calendar featuring art by Michael Komarck

San Antonio cover artist extraordinaire John Picacio dropped a big announcement Friday while attending Denver’s MileHiCon. He has agreed to illustrate Bantam’s 2011 calendar for George R.R. Martin’s fantasy epic A Song of Ice and Fire. John joins a host of illustrious artists who have brought Martin’s highly-detailed world to life including Jeffrey Jones, Charles Vess, John Howe, Donato Giancola, Tom Mandrake, Michael Kaluta, Steve Stone, Justin Sweet, Ted Nasmith, Thomas Canty and Michael Komarck.

The series consists of four books so far: A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords and A Feast for Crows. Fans (Mission Control included) are eagerly awaiting the release of the fifth and final (?) installment, A Dance with Dragons.

Clearly John is excited about this project:

“I’m completely stoked about the opportunity. I walked up to GRRM at Worldcon in Montreal and said, ‘Hey, man — I would love to illustrate one of your works someday, somewhere down the road.’ His eyes kinda lit up. I had no idea that he & Bantam were looking for a calendar artist. He said he liked my Elric work and I think that stuff had already caught his eyes. It’s an honor to be the artist for this gig.”

Catch another quote from John over at Geek Speak.

George R.R. Martin was not immediately available for comment as he is currently in the United Kingdom to observe filming of the upcoming HBO television series based on the novels. Saturday October 24th was the first day of filming for the pilot. It is unknown at this time when the series will premiere on HBO. You can read more about the progress of the series on Martin’s Not A Blog.

Coverspotting in SA: October 2009

John Picacio — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 06:50:17 +0000

Books spotted 10/01/09 at Barnes & Noble (410/San Pedro)

David Anthony Durham
THE OTHER LANDS
Doubleday
Cover art by Mikko Kinnunen
Cover design by Michael J. Windsor

The first time I met David Anthony Durham, we were both guests at the 2007 Elf Fantasy Fair in the Netherlands. At the time, I don’t think too many of those 25,000 attendees knew who he was. Six months later, I couldn’t walk into a major American bookstore without tripping over his new book ACACIA. His days as a relatively unknown name were fading fast, and his publisher, Doubleday, was treating him right. Critics raved about his book. Fast forward to the present and he’s now the 2009 John W. Campbell Award winner for Best New Writer, and his new book THE OTHER LANDS shows that his publisher loves him as much as ever. How can you tell? When they trick out an author’s cover with this much embossing and gloss/matte treatment, that’s when you know. ‘Happy to see this guy succeeding.

Ben Bova
THE RETURN
Tor
Cover art by Thom Tenery

I dig this cover art because it’s unabashedly and unapologetically abstract. Richard Powers illustrated so many successful abstract science fiction covers for Ballantine in the 1950′s and 60′s. Since then, it seems to me that publishing sales and marketing departments have become increasingly conservative in their art tastes. I think it’s led to abstract illustration being lost as a viable, commercial option. I’m glad to see Tor hasn’t lost sight of it. When I saw this cover on the shelf, it popped off next to its more conservative, more literal and scene-driven neighbors, and it made me want to pick it up.

Bernard Beckett
GENESIS
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Cover design by Michael J. Windsor

Find this book on the shelf and pick it up. Try to resist not opening it. I bet you can’t do it. I couldn’t. Great design work here with the red hair beckoning you to crack the cover. Really smart. It made me read the front end flap text and marked the book in my head as one I’ll probably pick up sometime, whereas without the great design it would have certainly escaped my notice.

Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley
FRANKENSTEIN
Dark Horse
Cover art & interiors by Bernie Wrightson

With Halloween approaching, it seems only fitting to give a shoutout to the legendary pen-and-ink work of Bernie Wrightson’s FRANKENSTEIN. Dark Horse has re-packaged his adaptation in a striking hardcover. I love this quote from Wrightson: “I’ve always had a thing for Frankenstein, and it was a labor of love. It was not an assignment, it was not a job. I would do the drawings in between paying gigs, when I had enough to be caught up with bills and groceries and what-not. I would take three days here, a week there, to work on the Frankenstein volume. It took about seven years….” As for the cover, what can you say other than iconic and timeless?