Michael Whelan

GOLDEN DREAM (1982)
Acrylic on Watercolor Board - 24" X 30"

Ever since I started using symbolism in paintings, I've naturally defined different types and uses of it. All symbolism serves the basic desire to convey thoughts and feelings that can't be expressed adequately (or as economically) in other ways. 1/5

#sciencefiction #scifi #scifiart #sff #illustration #hbeampiper #ardathmayhar #fuzzies

Jun 26, 2024 at 3:20pmWeb
Show threadMichael WhelanJun 26, 2024
"Literary" symbolism is a way to communicate ideas found in a text I am illustrating. In my "personal" symbolism, I hint at unifying themes and idiosyncratic concepts that go beyond the fundamental subjective base of the piece. 2/5
Show threadMichael WhelanJun 26, 2024
GOLDEN DREAM—for the novel by Ardath Mayhar based on the original stories by H. Beam Piper—contains narrative symbolism. Once a technological, space-faring race, the Fuzzies of the novel have lost their high technology and reverted to a hunting-and-gathering tribal culture. 3/5
Show threadMichael WhelanJun 26, 2024
Thus, the brightly colored butterfly flying just out of reach of the younger Fuzzy is a symbol of the loss of precious knowledge through the succession of generations. 4/5
Show threadMichael WhelanJun 26, 2024

Cover illustration for GOLDEN DREAM by Ardath Mayhar (ACE) based on the books by H. Beam Piper.

https://www.michaelwhelan.com/galleries/golden-dream/
5/5

GOLDEN DREAM

Cover art for the novel of the same name by Ardath Mayhar which continues the saga of the shipwrecked aliens the Fuzzy Sapiens. They’re still adorable, but Michael also shows us their intelli…

The Art of Michael Whelan