Exploring the Far Side of the World!

David Johnson "I have not told half of what I saw." - Marco Polo Douglas Smith "By prevailing over all obstacles and distractions, one may unfailingly arrive at his chosen goal or destination." - Christopher Columbus Niklas Asker "We'd never have got a chance to go outside and look at the earth if it hadn't been for space exploration and NASA." - James Lovelock Gregory Manchess "Below the 40th latitude there is no law; below the 50th no god; below the 60th no common sense and below the 70th no intelligence whatsoever." - Kim Stanley Robinson Gary Kelley "Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore." - Andre Gide Chase Stone "But even if I'm left high and dry at the end of this wild journey, just taking it is a great feeling." - Olivia Wilde Ted Wright “Be always sure you are right - then go ahead." - Davy Crockett C.F. Payne "Explorers have to be ready to die lost." - Russell Hoban Mark Summers "Real freedom lies in wildness, not in civilization." - Charles Lindbergh Murray Kimber "Exploration is really the essence of the human spirit." - Frank Borman Kent Barton "We can only sense that in the deep and turbulent recesses of the sea are hidden mysteries far greater than any we have solved." - In The Sea Around Us (1951) by R. Carson Maria Corte Maidagan "Those who have once listened to the siren songs of the ocean bed never return to land." - Philippe Diole Kinuko Y. Craft Juan Ponce De Leon Bill Sanderson "Superhuman effort isn't worth a damn unless it achieves results." - Ernest Shackleton Guy Stauber "That is the exploration that awaits you! Not mapping stars and studying nebula, but charting the unknown possibilities of existence." - Leonard Nimoy Thomas Ehretsmann "The beginning of knowledge is the discovery of something we do not understand." - Frank Herbert Yan Nascimbene "A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us." - John Steinbeck Chris Gall "Adventure is not outside man; it is within." - George Eliot Jon Foster "A man's errors are his portals of discovery." - James Joyce John Mattos "Curiosity is natural to the soul of man and interesting objects have a powerful influence on our affections." - Daniel Boone Tim Bower "Sera esta la tierra donde puedo encontrar la Fuente De La Juventud Will this be the land where I find the fountain of youth?" - Juan Ponce De Leon Paul Cox “In wisdom gathered over time I have found that every experience is a form of exploration." - Ansel Adams Scott Brundage “We need a space program because we need explorers. Its in our souls." - Corbin Bernsen Tyler Jacobson "A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." - Lao Tzu

Thomas Ehretsmann With a New Zodiac cover

The newest book in the french mystery series "Zodiaque", Delcourt Editions, has been released. "Le Choix du Gemeaux", or "The Choice of Gemini", features Thomas Ehretsmann's exquisite work on the cover. Take a look at the previos covers in the series Thomas also illustrated here.

Ted Wright is King of the Rodeo

Ted Wright created a poster (as shown below is several color choices) for the upcoming IPRA Rodeo Championship and that reminding us of some of the other great rodeo art Ted has done in the past including a logo for a steakhouse last year.

Gary Kelley - Legendary Film Director Stamps Released

Gary Kelley is no stranger to stamps having illustrated for the USPS several times in the past. Well, he is at it again with a new series of forever stamps honoring legendary film directors Frank Capra ("It's a Wonderful Life"), John Ford ("The Searchers"), John Huston ("The Maltese Falcon"), and Billy Wilder ("Some Like it Hot") that were released just yesterday. 

You can purchase these collectable stamps on the USPS website here. 

Gold Medal Winners Tyler Jacobson and Edward Kinsella!

In an earlier blog, we wrote that Edward Kinsella III and Tyler Jacobson were nominated for Gold Medals from Spectrum 19, the best source for sci-fi and fantasy art. Now we are very proud to announce that they both received the Gold this week at Spectrum Live in Kansas City! 

Tyler Jacobson with his Gold

Tyler's winning illustration. 

Edward Kinsella's winning illustration, a book cover for "Wooden Bones"

Michal Dziekan - Up All Night for Briefings

It is possible that Michal Dziekan spent a few sleepless nights creating this series of illustrations for Briefings Magazine with art director Joannah Ralston. Their latest issue is all about the affects of sleep deprivation on an employees abilities to function properly. Michal was asked to do several illustrations including a series of spots in the corner of the magazine that, when flipped, create a little animation. 

She might want her money back...

John Mattos - Cycling Stamps 2012

Announced last year, John Mattos's 2012 cycling stamps for the United States Postal Service can be purchased starting June 7. This set of forever stamps celebrates one of the most popular sports and past times in the world and represents different kinds of bicycle riders, from the child just learning, to the pro racer. John worked with art director Phil Jordan to create these great illustrations.