David A CherrySulcar KeepImage size: approx. 15x22 inches
Frame size: approx. 22x29 inches
Medium: acrylic on gessoed double thick watercolor board
Copyright 1994 David A Cherry
Beginning at around age 12, David was an avid fan of the stories of Andre Norton. His favorite publisher to work for was The Science Fiction Bookclub. They allowed David to exercise his artistic judgment and also allowed a fair amount of time within which to complete each project. So David was doubly thrilled when the art director of Science Fiction Bookclub called to say that they were preparing to bundle three Witch World Stories into one volume (to be called The Annals Of The Witchworld) and that they wanted David to do the cover. This was a dream come true for David, so he quickly agreed.
My sister knew how much I wanted to leave legal practice and become an illustrator. She wanted to encourage me and created a situation to do that. The great and kind Donald M. Grant had approached Carolyn to do a novella for him. She offered him Ealdwood - on condition that I have a chance to audition to do the interior art and the cover. He accepted me, I did the work, and I was hooked. I loved doing it and wanted to get better so I could attract more work of that kind. Later, DAW Books asked Carolyn to expand Ealdwood into a trilogy. The first novel was to be called The Dreamstone. Having done Ealdwood, I wanted my vision of Arafel on the cover, so I did an unsolicited painting and sent it to DAW. To my surprise, they used it.
When I was little, my father told me that many people would call to me in my life and that the ones which were most attractive were likely to be the ones I should mistrust the most. I had to think on that for a while. I did not want it to be true, but even as a young man I began to see the wisdom in his words. As an old man now, I can attest to it. All that glitters is not gold. The Beautiful Lady of the Rocks is a siren. Her form and call promise everything, but deliver only emptiness.
A lovely young mermaid explores ancient ruins on the seafloor wondering who could have mad such amazing structures. Then, coming upon a statue, she gasps. "Oh my gosh," she thinks, "it was people just like me." And she grieves for their loss. This was a private commission for a good friend and is a personal favorite of mine. Her rules were: no overt nudity, and she must have black hair. I do not believe in Muses, but if I did, I would say that I meant to comply, but was swayed by my muse to do otherwise. Once I got going with it, this was the way I saw it, and I had to complete it, even if it was rejected and I had to do another for my friend. To my surprise, she liked it and accepted it without changes.
Xanth is a world of puns and fun created by Piers Anthony. For the 1996 Xanth calendar, I was honored to create this portrait of Ryver (Elder brother of Jot and Tittle, son of Lacuna and Vernon, great grandson of Merlin, King of Xanth). His job is to guard the gate to Counter Xanth. His nickname is Water Boy, since he has power over water. Accordingly, I imagined a rather bored Ryver passing the time by juggling balls of water.
