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| Jeff Jones |
Imaginative Realism is the new name for fantasy art. That covers all the genres of science fiction, fantasy, horror and gaming art that took realistic painting or sculpture in the direction of things only seen in the imagination. I do crafts, but my main employment has been as an artist working in the publishing industry, making paintings that will grace the covers of fantasy books.
In September I was lucky to attend Illuxcon7, the premier convention for Imaginative Realism, created by Patrick and Jeannie Wilshire. The Allentown Museum of Art is inundated every September with artists, collectors, and students of the fantastic from all over the world. Only non-digital work is allowed, so the galleries are filled with the most amazing work in traditional methods - oils, watercolors, graphite, and the three dimensional work is beyond description, especially because I haven't the faintest idea what they are using to create their strange and lifelike beings. There are also wonderful classes and discussions going on in the nearby Baum Education Center, and a stream of students getting their portfolios reviewed by professionals.
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| Allentown Museum of Art |
Here are some of the artists I met and the work that I saw at Illuxcon7.
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| Bob Eggleton & Marianne Plumridge |
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| Mermaid: Blue Eyes |
I only have photos of a small part of the show, but more and larger views of the artists' work can be seen at:
http://www.illuxcon.com/#
Illuxcon is thoroughly inspiring for me. I love seeing work this good, and find it gets the creative juices flowing in ways that just working alone does not. It's a pleasure to meet the artists, the collectors, and the fans in an intimate and low key setting. We all wander around talking and chatting and having a great time. We also sell some art, which is always good too.
Jody
a Studio by the Sea
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