Over 20 years ago I provided this painting as cover art to David Drake's 'Master of the Cauldron'. It remained in the studio, surfacing every few years to see if inspiration for a repaint/retouch had taken hold.
20+ years late, I now present to you..
Medusa's Garden
27" x 48" Oil on Panel 2005-2026
Third novel in Sharon Shinn's 'Twelve Houses' series, Dark Moon Defender. Art direction called for the character to bear the resemblance of a popular actor. I captured the actor's likeness TOO well. A digital fix was needed!
Faramir - Artifacts from Osgiliath
30" x 20" Oil on Panel 2005
Hands of Middle-earth.
New painting to be exhibited at the 'Lore' show opening this Friday June 5th at The Compass Gallery in Provo, Utah alongside dozens of other wonderful paintings celebrating narrative and fantastic arts.
Saruman - Many Rings
14" x 11" Oil on Panel 2026
private collection
Reader and Raelynx
22" x 30" Oil on panel 2008
private collection
Created for the fourth book in Sharon Shinn's series "Twelve Houses". A young Scott Murphy makes a guest appearance as the model for this character!
Continuing with this series of covers for Sharon Shinn's 'Twelve House' series of novels, here is my favorite, a portrait of the cornered shapeshifter Kirra, with representations of her altered states in the tiled wall behind her.
Thirteenth House
22" x 30" Oil on Panel
private collection
Fifth book in Sharon Shinn's 'Twelve Houses' novel series. Kristina Carroll models here, making for a wonderfully dynamic, moody, and strong character in Wren. I love how the sword flares in the light!
Fortune and Fate
20" x 24" Oil on Panel 2007
private collection
melding a close up foreground scene of intelligent spiders (how DO you show that?) working in the organics of the world landscape, zooming off to low orbit for a starship, and lastly off into intergalactic space. All within one organized 'landscape'. Not sure how it came together, but it worked!!
There is no way a teenage Donato in 1983 would have believed you if you told him he would be illustrating the book he just finished reading - Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy!
Here is the copy I still have handed to me by my friend Randy Jacobson.
www.kickstarter.com/projects/wra...