Latest News
Art Show Programming Announced
2008-07-23:Here's a first look at the programming being offered at the Dragon*Con Art Show this year. This schedule is not yet finalized, so check back occassionally for updates.
Jury Round 2 is Now Closed
Thank-you to all artists that submitted applications to our second jury round. Images will now be submitted to the jury and results should be emailed to you by June 15.
Art Show Information!
Please check out our updated Artists' Information section for full details on how to this year's Art Show.
Announcing Our Jurors!
2008-02-29: We are please to announce that our jurors for the 2008 Art Show are Steven Hickman, Rowena and Matt Hughes!
Please check out their biographies below
We Will Miss You, Patrick!
2008-01-29: It is with deepest sorrow that we inform you of the unexpected and sudden passing of Patrick Roberts. He had been at a school play with his son Derrick when he collapsed and shortly thereafter passed away. The cause of death has not yet been determined.
Patrick was best know to many of us as the dynamic and charismatic individual that nurtured the Dragon*Con Art Show into the success it is today. He has touched the lives of many and he will be dearly missed.
Our prayers and thoughts are with his family at this time of loss.
Juror Biographies
website: www.stephenhickman.com
Stephen Hickman has been illustrating science fiction and fantasy for over two decades. His work has been inspired by masters of fantasy and science fiction writing - J.R.R. Tolkein, H.P. Lovecraft, A. Merritt, Edgar Rice Burroughs and Clark Ashton Smith. His illustrations have been used as cover work for many contemporary writers, such as Stephen Brust, Lois McMaster Bujold, Tom Cool, Gordon Dickson, David Drake, Harlan Ellison, Robert Heinlein, Spider Robinson, Anne McCaffrey, Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle, Andre Norton and Steve Stirling, earning him critical acclaim.
Since 1976 Hickman has illustrated approximately 375 covers for Ace, Baen, Ballantine, Bantam, Berkeley, Dell, Del Rey, Doubleday, Phage Press, Tor, the annual Tolkien Calendar, Warren Publications and others. In 1988 Hickman wrote The Lemurian Stone (Ace Books), which formed the basis for his Pharazar Mythos illustrations, The Lion Pavillion, is one example, and is also reproduced along with The Archers, in the 1994 edition of SPECTRUM.
Other interests include sculpting and scale modeling, and advanced FX make-up, and acoustic blues guitar playing. Boomerang crafting and throwing is not mentioned in this context, as it is an obsession and not an interest.
In 1994 he was awarded a Hugo Award from the World Science Fiction Convention for the United States Postal Service’s Space Fantasy Commemorative Booklet of stamps, the first official recognition by the government of the SF genre. Other prominent awards include six Chesley Awards in various catagories from the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists [ASFA], and two Gold Awards from the SPECTRUM annual anthologies.
website: www.rowenaart.com
Rowena, one of the best known names in Science-Fiction and Fantasy Art, began her career as a book cover illustrator in 1977 soon after moving to New York City. Upon arrival in the big city, she knew she had to find a way to make a living fast. She searched the New York Yellow pages for inspiration and quickly found her way to publishing companies. It was lucky timing for her. There was a need for people who could paint the figure realistically, and she was hired immediately. Suddenly, Rowena had the unexpected delight of seeing her work in print all over the country. She has now done over 300 book covers.
Rowena’s work is characterized by her use of radiant colors and dramatic lighting effects. She is especially known for her very naturalistic depiction of the human figure. Artists from the past, such as, Jan Van Eyck and Peter Paul Rubens, have been her inspiration and guide. She spent the first five years of her illustration career with a reproduction of Rubens’ "Daniel in the Lion’s Den" close by her side trying to emulate his pearly skin tones whenever she painted a figure.
Rowena’s creative influences have been various. Her mother is a superb classical pianist, and Rowena was surrounded by beautiful music from her earliest memories. She, herself, started her first year in college as a piano major. The emotional and purely intuitive quality of music has formed her romantic approach to art. Her paintings are luscious and sensuous. Because her father was a career army officer, she lived in Japan, Italy and all over the United States during her childhood. She especially loved living in Japan, delighting in its exotic art and ambience. Being in Italy gave her the chance to absorb the grand traditions of European culture.
The sixteen years she lived in New York City, while building her illustration career, were like being overseas again. She was surrounded by an international community, enjoyed the wonderful museums and heard some of the world’s most beautifully performed classical music.
She moved out of New York City so that she could have more freedom to paint her own ideas and visions. She is presently living in Upstate New York working on many projects of her own which she is publishing and marketing herself. Her work can be seen on her Website: www.rowenaart.com.
website: www.matthughesart.com
With obvious influences from the Romantics to the Pre-Raphaelites to the Fin de Siecles, Matt Hughes' Ethereal Visions deliver a novel approach that is pioneering a new movement that is best defined as Gothic Art Nouveau. By blending the romantic aesthetic beauty of Art Nouveau with the beautiful dark concepts of Gothic art, he invites the viewer to not only interact with other worldly realms but delve into self-reflection and introspection. His elaborate poses of striking woman draped in extravagant textiles and patterns appear to blend seamlessly with the abstract surroundings, resulting in a refreshingly new interpretation of Art Nouveau. And while the Gothic subjects of religion, mythology, death and spirituality are present, they are addressed more subtly in his contemporary methodology. In addition, the decorative elements associated with Art Nouveau are ingeniously incorporated into the surroundings, fabrics, ornamentation and even pose of the subjects to deliver a well balanced artistic statement.
The works of artist Matt Hughes have appeared in numerous publications and gift products around the world. In 2004, Matt’s illustration, Boudicca, appeared on the cover of a greeting card set given out to the cast and crew at the Lord of the Rings After Oscar Party. Also in 2004, Matt was chosen as a Gallery Winner in the Society of Illustrators LA art competition. In March of 2005, Matt’s art book, Metamorphosis: The Art of Matt Hughes, published by MG Publishing/SQP, reached the 23,000+ mark in international sales. In 2007, Matt’s painting "Becoming" was selected as "Best In Show" for the Dragon*Con Art Show in Atlanta, Georgia. Matt is a member of The Society of Illustrators located in New York.
Based in Kennesaw, Georgia, Matt continues to illustrate his ethereal visions. His conceptual twist on Victorian themes and styles combined with spiritual or philosophical concepts have helped Matt pioneer the new art movement Gothic Art Nouveau.
Dragon*Con is one of the largest annual Science Fiction and Fantasy theme conventions in the world with an attendance of over 20,000 people.
The Dragon*Con Art Show is a very large and diverse event. Thousands of art buyers from around the country and around the world come to the show every year to buy the great works exhibited. It is a very active, exciting function with dynamic programming which gives the participating artist a high potential for large sales. We believe art is all about capturing new ideas in one form or another and showing the world the awesome creativity within these works.
The Art Show, Artist Bazaar, Print Shop, and Art on Demand section will be located in the Atlanta Hyatt Regency, right next to convention registration.
We invite you to look at samples of the wonderful types of art work presented each year at the Dragon*Con Art Show -- please feel free to explore the following web sites:
