HARBINGER (2015) by Michael Whelan

Acrylic on Linen - 36" x 54"

The essential composition of HARBINGER came to me many years ago, and it has always centered on the wasp nest surrounding a stoplight—an omen of something running out of control, a slippage into chaos.

My initial inspiration, I believe, grew out of concern for the destabilizing and immense effects of global climate change, a sense of nature out of control and giving birth to unnatural and cataclysmic phenomena. I realize that it is not the happiest of subjects to dedicate a painting to, but the idea just wouldn’t let me go without painting it.

It remains to be seen whether the catharsis of this painting will suffice or if I will have to revisit the idea again in the near future.

View this painting at infra:REAL - The Art of Imaginative Realism on display at the Jonathan Levine Gallery in NYC from August 5-22, 2015.

DRAGON ABOARD

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The cover art for DRAGONWRITER, A TRIBUTE TO ANNE MCCAFFREY AND PERN was originally conceived in 1991 for her novel ALL THE WEYRS OF PERN.

Anne often reminded readers that her Pern series were science fiction novels and this was a scene that she wished could be on the cover. Michael did a tight preliminary called “In the Cargo Hold.” He was ready to do the full-size painting, but he had a dream in which he envisioned the dragons having a conference high up in the clouds. He told Anne about it and she liked it so much that she wrote the scene into her story and that’s what became the cover. http://dlvr.it/3mGQjW

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