Author Archives: John Picacio

Austin Gorum and a Few Congrats…

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Two things:
1. Photographer Austin Gorum took this impromptu photograph of me at San Diego Comic-Con, and he recently sent me a copy of it. The funny thing is that I first stumbled upon it in a gallery of photographs of Hollywood folks over at Wireimage, in an array with Hilary Swank, Edward James Olmos, Bryan Singer, Lucy Lawless, and Snoop Dogg. Strange. But cool!

2. The 2006 World Fantasy Award nominations were announced this weekend. Congrats to all of the nominees, but especially to Chris Roberson, Lou Anders, and Jess Nevins for their first nominations. I’m really thrilled for these guys to be recognized. Also, congrats to all of the nominees in the Artist category this year — Kinuko Craft, James Jean, Dave McKean, Les Edwards, and John Jude Palencar. World Fantasy Awards rules dictate that previous year’s winners are ineligible the following year in the Artist category, so I was out of the running this year since I won last year. I guess if there’s a reason to be left out, that’s the reason everyone wants, right? So I get to kick back and root for my friends this year. In the Artist category, I think all of the nominees are phenomenal. Kinuko is wonderful, and it seems odd that she’s not a World Fantasy Award winner yet. James Jean is a first-timer, and he’ll no doubt be back again. McKean won back in 1991. Les Edwards’ work in his Edward Miller persona always knocks me out. However, deep down, I hope that John Jude Palencar gets the nod this year. He’s been nominated for this award many times, but never won, and I think his stellar contributions to fantasy book covers over the last decade should be finally recognized. I’d love to see him added to the roster of World Fantasy Award winners. Good luck to all.

Arriving in 2007: FAST FORWARD 1!

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Here’s another cover that I recently finished. Above is the wraparound art for the forthcoming cutting-edge sf anthology, FAST FORWARD 1. This one comes out from Pyr next February, and it’s the latest extravaganza from the brilliant mind of Lou Anders. Once again, he’s bringing together some of the best authors in the business with all-original short fiction.

I did the typographic design for the front cover as well. Check out some of the authors he’s got lined up for this! I’m always proud to do covers for Lou’s anthologies because he cares so much about what science fiction’s doing, and where it’s going. This may be his best effort so far, and that’s really saying something.

I blame Blaschke

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Thanks to Jayme Lynn Blaschke, I’ve been tagged with this book meme….

1. One book that changed your life?
SCULPTING IN TIME by Andrey Tarkovsky

2. One book you have read more than once?
EINSTEIN’S DREAMS by Alan Lightman

3. One book you would want on a desert island?
I’ll cheat and say Stephen King’s THE DARK TOWER 1 thru 7. I’ve never finished it, and always wanted to…

4. One book that made you laugh?
GOOD OMENS by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

5. One book that made you cry?
I can’t recall any….I once heard Mike Moorcock say that silverfish ate one of his vintage hardcovers autographed by H.G. Wells, and THAT made me want to cry…

6. One book you wish had been written?
Any undiscovered writings by Jorge Luis Borges….especially anything even remotely in the spirit of DREAMTIGERS…

7. One book you wish had never been written…
Anything by Ann C.

I won’t even give her the benefit of typing her last name, but it rhymes with “dolter.” Actually, I don’t mind that her books exist, but if she continues to write outrageous works of fiction, then why do bookstores keep misshelving her books in nonfiction? Just one of those mysteries, I guess…

8. One book you are currently reading?
Re-skimming Rudy Rucker’s THE HOLLOW EARTH before I do the final cover for MonkeyBrain’s upcoming release….waiting for the new Shari Tepper manuscript to be overnighted so I can start reading and researching before beginning that cover illustration….

9. One book you have been meaning to read? See #3.

10. Five people to pass this on to….no, no, no….let the madness cease.

Back to work.

Emerald and Brown

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As if losing David Gemmell this past week weren’t terrible enough….I’d like to take a moment and acknowledge two more notable losses in recent days….

1. Cheryl Morgan announced this week that her much-loved webzine EMERALD CITY will soon be ceasing publication. It’s a real loss for our industry and I’m very sad to see this happen. Her work has been one of the few bookmarks that I visit daily and her blog is a joy. She’s amongst a select few in the genre literary industry that really keep everyone in touch with the latest news, opinions, and happenings (LOCUS and LOCUS ONLINE being another obvious, venerable example). I’ll miss EMERALD CITY very much, and wherever Cheryl goes next, that place will be better for her presence.

2. If you’ve ever heard of the poem “Why Am I So Brown?,” then you probably know who Trinidad Sanchez, Jr. was. He died Sunday, July 30th, at age 63 here in San Antonio, of post-stroke complications. Besides being a distinguished poet and author, he was a teacher, mentor, and social activist who did a lot of good for a lot of people. His death was especially shocking to me because I had just re-connected with him five weeks before, when he came to a book signing for my art book. We had met back in the mid-90s when I was doing the WORDS & PICTURES comic book, and at that time, I was just finding my way and he was an already-legendary poet. He took time to offer encouragement and kind words, and we never saw each other again, until he came on his own to see me at my signing in June. His memory was sharp, and he had the kind of sparkle that you see very rarely. The guy was just luminous. He looked to be at the top of his game, and he was as warm a human being as you can ever imagine. I was really floored that he took the time to come see me, and I never would’ve imagined that’s the last time I would see him. Thanks, Trinidad. I hope I can pass on some of the generosity you gave to me.

Click here to read more about this great man.

X-MEN: THE RETURN

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This was a blast. This is the cover illustration that I recently finished for Simon & Schuster/Pocket Star Books for Chris Roberson‘s forthcoming paperback novel X-MEN: THE RETURN. As a teenager, I loved the UNCANNY X-MEN comics, and back then I treasured the Claremont/Byrne/Austin run. If someone would’ve told me back then that I would eventually get to do my own take on the X-Men, I would’ve been beside myself with joy. As if that weren’t great enough, it’s even better that Chris is writing the book, and the great Jennifer Heddle is editing it. The only thing better than illustrating a dream cover is illustrating a dream cover, with your friends involved. Look for this as a mass-market paperback release in bookstores everywhere around April 2007. Excelsior!

R.I.P. David Gemmell

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I was really saddened to hear the news of David Gemmell’s passing a few days ago. The folks at Ballantine/Del Rey approached me a few years ago and asked me to do a cover for a U.S. mass market paperback edition of Gemmell’s ECHOES OF THE GREAT SONG. They wanted a more modern graphic approach for his U.S. editions and at the time, I was incorporating a lot of photography in my finished mixed-media works. They liked this, and they liked that cover, and it led to several other Gemmell covers for me. I think I liked the cover for LEGEND the most (pictured here). These days, I don’t favor using much photography in my finished works anymore, but I still like this one. For many Gemmell fans, this is one of his most-beloved works, and I’m glad I was a part of its tradition.

I met David and his wife Stella at San Diego Comic-Con a few years back. He was big and gracious, and he made time for everyone that day. It’s the only time I ever had the pleasure to spend time with him, but I’m glad that he left such a legacy of beloved works for generations to enjoy. Condolences to David’s family and all associated with him over at Ballantine/Del Rey.

The Pocket Gang at San Diego Comic-Con

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Beginning in September, Pocket will be releasing an all-new mass-market STAR TREK paperback trilogy called STAR TREK: CRUCIBLE. It’s written by David R. George III, and I did the cover art as a triptych so that all three covers connect to form one picture (see above). The trilogy is part of Pocket’s 40th Anniversary celebration of the original STAR TREK series, and it was a real pleasure to be a part of this.

I had a blast hanging out with the Simon & Schuster/Pocket Books gang at San Diego Comic-Con. Pictured below are (left to right) Elisa Kassan, Margaret Clark, Marco Palmieri, and Ed Schlesinger. Not pictured is the one-and-only Jennifer Heddle.

The hard-working Pocket gang handed out promo materials galore for the STAR TREK books all weekend long, and their Comic-Con booth was buzzing non-stop. I’ll be posting more upcoming covers that I’m doing with this company, in the near future.

Home again

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I returned home late last night from San Diego Comic-Con. Tremendous show. My main agenda up there was to promote my art book, COVER STORY: THE ART OF JOHN PICACIO, and that went extremely well. Between my table, MonkeyBrain‘s table (that they shared with BenBella), Bud Plant‘s booth, and Mysterious Galaxy‘s booth, the book sold nicely over there. Thanks to all! I spent the vast majority of my time at the show in Artists’ Alley. It was my first time in that area and I enjoyed the heck out of it. I was located between Dave Seeley and Jon Foster and they’re both terrific guys and tremendous illustrators. Thanks to Clydene Nee, Jean Goddin, Mike Willmoth, Jackie Estrada and all the Artists’ Alley folks for making it all run smoothly.

When I wasn’t in Artists’ Alley, I was running around the con, meeting with clients and having a blast. It was crazy over there though. Last year’s attendance was officially 104,000, and by the end of Saturday this year, rumor had it that the attendance had cracked the 130,000 mark, and that was with a full Sunday still to go!! I spent a lot of time with good buddy Chris Roberson, and whenever we stopped to compare notes, we always wished we had body armor to survive the onslaught of the massive crowds. I’ve never seen anything like it…

San Diego Comic-Con 2006!

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I’ll be set up there at table CC-15 in Artists’ Alley. Jon Foster and Dave Seeley will be set up on either side of me, and I’m looking forward to seeing those guys. Come by and visit us! I’ll have copies for sale of my art book COVER STORY: THE ART OF JOHN PICACIO. I’ll have a portfolio full of goodies and ephemera for sale, as well. MonkeyBrain Books is the publisher of the art book and they’ll be set up in the Exhibitor Table section along with BenBella Books (table F1, right around aisle 800 or so).

If you miss me in Artists’ Alley for some reason, I’m scheduled for the following:

Saturday, July 22: 1-3pm — book signing at MonkeyBrain/Benbella table (F1)

Sunday, July 23, 1:45-2:45 — book signing at the Simon & Schuster/Pocket booth (#932), along with David R. George III, author of the upcoming 40th Anniverary STAR TREK trilogy, CRUCIBLE (I did the cover art for all 3 books.)

In addition, I’ll have a framed print over at the mighty Bud Plant booth (#1500), and Bud will have this as part of his big Comic-Con giveaway promotion. He’ll also have plenty of copies in stock of COVER STORY: THE ART OF JOHN PICACIO.

Should be a great weekend, and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone out there!

Belated thanks RE: The Locus Poll

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Frank Wu made a comment below and he reminded me about something I had forgotten to acknowledge. Thanks to all who voted in this year’s LOCUS MAGAZINE Poll, and I’m very honored and grateful to be listed at #3 in this year’s list for Best Artist. The great Michael Whelan won his 26th Locus Award for Best Artist in the Poll (congrats, Michael!), and Bob Eggleton finished in second. Dave McKean and Charles Vess rounded out the top five. I was thrilled to hear this news when it happened, and it certainly was meaningful to me, but I was working on so many cover deadlines at the time, that I just clean forgot to acknowledge it. I’m not looking for props or for congrats on this. I’m just glad to keep working on my stuff and keep drawing and painting and keep improving, because that’s what it’s all about. However, I didn’t want it to pass by, without saying a heartfelt thanks.

So thanks to Master Wu for reminding me to acknowledge it. Congrats to him for finishing in the #12 slot on the list! Sweet!

You’re invited…

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…to a party. If you’re anywhere near San Antonio, Texas, that is. I’m doing a book signing for COVER STORY: THE ART OF JOHN PICACIO this Saturday night, July 15th. THE SAN ANTONIO CURRENT is celebrating their 20th anniversary as San Antonio’s weekly alternative newspaper, and they’re throwing a big bash at the Southwest Arts and Craft Center (300 Augusta). Party starts at 6pm. Budweiser and Bacardi will be sponsoring, and Barnes & Noble will be sponsoring my book signing. In addition, THE CURRENT will be auctioning prints of past covers that I’ve done for the paper. All proceeds for the auction benefit the Southwest School’s adult art-education scholarship fund. The event is open to the public. Should be big fun!!

2006 Chesley Nominations

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The 2006 Chesley Award Nominations were just announced last night. Congrats to all of the nominees. I’m honored to be nominated in two categories, Best Interior Illustration for “The Second Hunt” (see above) which appeared in TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE MAGAZINE (January 2005), and for Artistic Achievement, which is the “Artist of the Year” award for the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists, or ASFA.

Thanks to all who voted, and I look forward to being at the Chesley ceremony at Worldcon in Anaheim next month!

Upcoming booksignings for COVER STORY

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I’ll be doing a few booksignings here in the San Antonio area in the next couple of weeks, as well as a small gallery show as part of S.A.’s annual Contemporary Art Month.

Here’s the rundown:

BARNES & NOBLE
(Fiesta Trail)
12635 W IH-10/DeZavala, 561-0205.

Also at this location — a gallery of prints are on display and B&N will provide refreshments for all who come to the signing. Free posters will be available.
Saturday, June 24. 2pm. (Prints will be on display until July 4th.)

FIRST FRIDAY/CONTEMPORARY ART MONTH GALLERY SHOW
The Art of John Picacio
THE RED ROOM
1903 S. St. Mary’s St.
Opening reception, Friday, July 7. 6pm.

BORDERS
(Alamo Quarry)
255 E. Basse, 828-9496.
Saturday, July 8. 4pm.

ATOMIC COMICS & GAMING
4904 Broadway, 826-3223.
Wednesday, July 12. 12noon.

THE SAN ANTONIO CURRENT 20TH ANNIVERSARY PARTY
Southwest School of Art & Craft
300 Augusta, 224-1848.
Saturday, July 15.

Auction of signed SAN ANTONIO CURRENT covers plus a booksigning for COVER STORY: THE ART OF JOHN PICACIO.

Mad Love for COVER STORY

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My art book COVER STORY: THE ART OF JOHN PICACIO has been getting mad love out there, and I’m very grateful. Here are a few of the latest media highlights:

* In the August issue of SCI FI MAGAZINE — COVER STORY receives an ‘A’ in their Book Review section, and the review proclaims that the pictures within are “sometimes haunting, sometimes witty, sometimes ornate and sometimes startlingly simple, but almost always achingly beautiful.” (Review by Adam-Troy Castro)

* In the August issue of REALMS OF FANTASY MAGAZINE — There’s a nice long gallery feature on me, written by Karen Haber.

* In the Sunday June 18th edition of The San Antonio Express-News — There’s a solid feature article by Dan Goddard in the SA Life/Culturas section. Check it out here.

* And of course, over at Barnes & Noble.com — COVER STORY is a Featured Selection for the month of June. There’s a fabulous review by Paul Goat Allen and the folks of B&N’s sf/fantasy newsletter EXPLORATIONS, as well as an interview with me.

One Small Step…

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Alright. So today’s the day.

6/6/06.

Today marks my first personal foray into the blogosphere.

I now have a blog. I’ve now signed on the dotted line in blood. Let’s see how this goes. Much news to update. Let’s see how this first post looks, and then I’ll come back and update in earnest. Apologies in advance if these first attempts are a bit bumpy as I get acclimated to this.