American painter
Donato Giancola (born 1967[ 1] ) is an American artist specializing in narrative realism with science fiction and fantasy content, including images for Tolkien's Middle-earth .
Giancola has won honors including a World Fantasy Award , a Hamilton King Award , and many Chesley Awards for his illustrations.
Biography
Donato Giancola was born and raised in Colchester , near Burlington , in the state of Vermont . He has lived in Brooklyn with his wife and two daughters.[ 2]
Giancola first majored in electrical engineering at the University of Vermont , but left for Syracuse University to seriously pursue painting in 1989. He graduated with a BFA in 1992.[ 2]
Giancola describes himself and his work as a "classical-abstract-realist working with science fiction and fantasy" and lists Hans Memling , Jan van Eyck , Velázquez , Caravaggio , Vermeer , Piet Mondrian , Rembrandt , Rubens and Titian as his favorite artists.[ 3]
Giancola has illustrated cards for the Magic: The Gathering collectible card game.[ 4] He has been described as a "cult hero" among fantasy collectible card game players.[ 5] In 2008, the Bennington Banner referred to him as "arguably the most popular and successful sci-fi/fantasy artist working today".[ 6] His paintings of J. R. R. Tolkien 's fantasy world have been described as making him "the Caravaggio of Middle-earth ".[ 7]
In 2021, the U.S. Postal Service announced that a "three ounce" stamp honoring Ursula K. Le Guin would be issued later that year. It features her portrait, based on a 2006 photograph, against a background scene from The Left Hand of Darkness , created by Giancola and art director Antonio Alcalá.[ 8]
Honors
Chesley Awards
Giancola has been awarded a Chesley Award from the Association of Science Fiction & Fantasy Artists in the following years:
1997: Best Cover Illustration, Paperback[ 9]
1999, 2001: Best Product Illustration[ 9]
2002: 4 awards inc Best Cover Illustration[ 9]
2004: Best Cover Illustration[ 9]
2005: joint winner Best Cover Illustration[ 9]
2006: Best Cover Illustration[ 9]
2007: Best Monochrome Work[ 9]
2008: 5 awards inc Best Cover Illustration[ 9]
2009: 2 awards inc Best Cover Illustration[ 9]
2011: Best Interior Illustration[ 9]
2014: Best Color Work[ 9]
2015: Best Product Illustration[ 9]
2016: Best Color Work[ 9]
2017: Best Product Illustration[ 9]
Other
Art exhibitions
Donato Giancola: From Middle Earth to Outer Space and Beyond, Huntsville Museum of Art , 2013-2014.
Magical Adventures: Fantasy Art from The Frank Collection, University of Maryland, College Park , 2004.
Illustrators, The Society of Illustrators Annual Exhibition of Illustration, 128 East 63rd Street, New York, New York. 1999-2004.
The Art of 'The Lord of the Rings', Exhibition of book cover and interior illustration, Bailey/Howe Library, University of Vermont , 2002.
Books
Middle-Earth: Visions of a Modern Myth (2010), Underwood Books.
Middle-Earth: Journeys in Myth and Legend (2019), Dark Horse Books. ISBN 978-1-5067-1086-0
References
^ Barron, James . "Stamps From Space, With Brooklyn Ties" , The New York Times , May 24, 2011. Accessed December 7, 2023. "'I wasn’t even a single-celled organism at that point,' said Mr. Giancola, a Brooklyn artist who was not born until 1967."
^ a b Troy, Jeanne (July 18, 2007). "Sci-fi painter Donato Giancola's work on display at SVAC", Bennington Banner .
^ Wachter, Toby (10 April 2003). "Behind the Canvas: Donato Giancola|Combining Magic with the classical masters" . Magic|The Gathering . Archived from the original on 2003-04-21. Retrieved 24 September 2024 .
^ "Donato Giancola - Magic: The Gathering Art" . Archived from the original on 19 July 2001.
^ Alesia, Tom (18 August 2000). "Fantasy: the Gathering". Wisconsin State Journal . p. F1.
^ " 'Fantasy' master Giancola debuts workshop at SVAC". Bennington Banner . July 22, 2008.
^ LaSala, Jeff (22 April 2019). "Donato Giancola Is the Caravaggio of Middle-earth" . Tor.com . Retrieved 11 November 2023 .
^ " 'It Ain't Over Till It's Over' - Newsroom" (Press release). about.usps.com. 2021. Retrieved 24 September 2024 .
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Past Winners of the Chesley Awards" . ASFA. Retrieved 21 April 2024 .
^ First International ARC Salon Competition
^ World Fantasy Convention (2010). "Award Winners and Nominees" . Archived from the original on 2010-12-01. Retrieved 4 Feb 2011 .
^ "2006 Hugo Awards" . World Science Fiction Society. 25 July 2007. Archived from the original on 2011-05-07. Retrieved 2010-04-19 .
^ "Hamilton King Award" . Society of Illustrators . Retrieved 24 September 2024 . 2008: Donato Giancola
^ "2024 Tolkien Society Awards" . Locus Online . 2024-04-18. Archived from the original on 2024-04-18. Retrieved 2024-04-19 .
External links
Basics
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