George Barr (artist)
George Barr | |
|---|---|
 The Year's Best Fantasy Stories: 2, 1976, cover art by George Barr | |
| Born | January 30, 1937 |
| Died | April 19, 2025 (aged 88)[1] Livermore, California, U.S. |
| Known for | Fantasy art |
George Edward Barr (January 30, 1937 – April 19, 2025)[1] was an American science fiction and fantasy artist.
Early life
[edit]George Barr was born in Tucson, Arizona, grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah, and later moved to Northern California.[2]
Career
[edit]Barr began his art career in 1960 by contributing artwork to various high-profile science fiction fanzines in fandom and for many years displaying and selling his artwork in the art shows of both regional science fiction conventions and at the annual World Science Fiction Convention.
A collection of his professional fantasy and science fiction paintings, Upon the Winds of Yesterday and Other Explorations, was published by Donald M. Grant, Publisher, Inc. in 1976. The volume debuted at MidAmeriCon, the 34th World Science Fiction Convention, where Barr was the convention's Fan Guest of Honor, along with Robert A. Heinlein, who was the convention's professional writer Guest of Honor. Barr provided the full color wrap around dust jacket for the convention's hardcover program book.
Since then Barr provided numerous black and white interior illustrations and dozens of full color covers for various professional science fiction magazines and for dozens of science fiction and fantasy book covers. He also illustrated Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game supplements, including 1987's Dragonlance Adventures, the Dungeon Master's Design Kit, and several books in the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Gamebooks line. In 1997, Marion Zimmer Bradley's Fantasy Magazine noted that Barr had contributed artwork to all but six of its first 34 issues.[3]
Barr's work shows influences from Arthur Rackham, Hannes Bok and Virgil Finlay. The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction describes him as one of the least appreciated SF/fantasy artists. His work is often romantic and whimsical. His technique involves overlaying pen and ink line work with pastel watercolors.
Awards
[edit]From 1970 to 1980, Barr was a finalist or winner of fantasy and science fiction art awards.[4]
- Winner, Best Fan Artist, 1967
- Finalist, Best Fan Artist, 1966, 1968, and 1969
- Finalist, Best Professional Artist, 1975 and 1976
- Finalist in various categories, 1970–1976 and 1977–1982
- Finalist, Best Artist, 1975 and 1976
- Finalist, Best Artwork, 1978
Death
[edit]Barr died on April 19, 2025, at the age of 88.[5]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Authors : Barr, George : SFE : Science Fiction Encyclopedia". Science Fiction Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
- ^ Dannenfelser, Randy (2001). "Science fiction and fantasy markets". The Bulletin of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. 35 (1): 61–63.
- ^ "Thin Man". [Marion Zimmer Bradley's Fantasy Magazine. Vol. 9, no. 2. Winter 1997. p. 15.
- ^ "George Barr". Science Fiction Awards Database. sfadb. May 18, 2016.
- ^ "George Barr Obituary". Trident Society. Walnut Creek, California. April 19, 2025. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
General citation for article
[edit]- Clute, John; Nicholls, Peter (1995). The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction. New York: St. Martin's Griffin. p. 93. ISBN 0-312-13486-X.
External links
[edit]- Official website
- Illustrated biography from Bud Plant site[usurped]
- George Barr on DeviantArt
- Works by or about George Barr at the Internet Archive
- George Barr at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
- "George Barr at Pen & Paper". Archived from the original on March 10, 2005.
- George Barr discography at Discogs
- George Barr at IMDb
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