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![]() International Association of Astronomical Artists News 7/25/2010 Space Artist Sean Brady Passes at Age 68 Loch Lomond, Balloch, Weat Dunbartonshire, Scotland Sadly, we have to report the passing of IAAA Artist Sean Brady after a long battle with cancer. He had been remarkably cheerful after receiving the news of the onset of his illnessmuch to his own surprisebut, in February, his condition began to decline. Concern among his IAAA friends began to mount as no replies to their e-mails were received. Telephone enquiry resulted in the news of the funeral having been held to-day, Friday 31st July, 2010, following his death on Sunday, 25th July while concerned IAAA Members were trying to establish contact with him. - Ed Buckley Our members have recalled their personal experiences upon learning of Sean's passing: "My own contact with him stemmed from purchase of one of his paintings at a Glasgow SF Convention, in 1979, which has hung on the wall directly over my worktable and has proved an inspiration to me ever since. We drifted apart for many years after that, only re-establishing contact at the 1995 WorldCon, also in Glasgow. He introduced me to the world of the Internet, generously giving me a laptop computer from those being discarded by his local Education Department through damage, so letting me get initial experience with a computer. Sometimes slow to answer his e-mails, Sean and I drifted apart again as a result, with the announcement of his condition then causing reluctance to "intrude" into what must have been a trying time for him and his family. It was only worries from fellow U.K. Members that prompted me to re-establish contactjust too late! His cheerfulness, enthusiasm, and generosity will be sadly missed by all who knew him. John Kaufmann composed a beautiful tribute to Sean and sent it to YouTube. The music is hauntingly apt and that final pic of a lone astronaut watching a lift-off to the heavens was truly poignant "Sean was a wonderful man and I'm thankful to have had the opportunity to have spent a good length of time getting to know him during the 2008 Utah-Escalante workshop. Sean wanted to go to Kitt Peak in the Fall of 2009 but had to cancel after his physical exam found cancer. Sean was a joyful fellow and certainly an enthusiastic supporter of space art especially during the rise of inSANe. I will miss his friendship." - Kara Szathmáry FIAAA - Panama City, Florida "I never met him, but it was always nice to see what he was up to when he submitted images for the Critiques page. There's one still there now if anyone wants to take a peek." - Joe Bergeron FIAAA - Binghampton, New York "It was great meeting Sean at the Utah workshop and I'm very glad I got to know him before he passed. He once said he was fine with his impending doom, but was heartbroken that all his loved ones were so upset. He was truly a selfless person. RIP buddy." - John Kaufmann FIAAA - St. Charles, Missouri "Jackie Burns and I met Sean at the IAAA exhibition at the IAC in Glasgow in 2008, where Sean was of great help in erecting and manning our stand, and we were delighted to meet his charming wife Anna at a meal one evening. I am glad and proud to have known Sean, if only briefly." - David A. Hardy FIAAA - Birmingham, England "For me, Sean was and will remain a highlight in the membership of the International Association of Astronomical Artists. A passionate space artist who worked with enthusiasm and commitment. Sean was a joy to work with on the couple of projects where we came together. Sean really was an inspiration as a person. He had such a positive view on life and other people. Terry and I thoroughly enjoyed his company whilst we were up in Scotland in 2008 setting up and helping to run the IAAA exhibition at the IAC conference in Glasgow. We will both miss him dearly." - Jackie Burns FIAAA - Vange, Basildon, Essex, England "I am very pleased and proud to say that Sean Brady was my friend. My one and only face to face contact with Sean was the 2008 Utah Workshop. This serves to show the importance of IAAA Workshops on the human level, and I strongly encourage all members to try and attend one. The Universe goes on and we space artists, just like everyone else, fleetingly move through it. Sean and I became fast friends right at the start of the workshop. That wasn't very hard to do. His cheerful and enthusiastic attitude is infectious. He's the kinda guy who doesn't have anything bad to say about anyone and always finds something positive to say in any situation. He was so excited about seeing the wonders of Utah as member of our group, he was like a kid. He and I had both recently purchased new cameras for the Workshop and we compared notes. I've got the classic photo of Sean taking a picture of me taking a picture of Sean taking a picture of me. Sean was also excited about trying his hand at shooting and editing some video. I like Dan Durda's idea of posting some photos of Sean, and I do have a few good ones to contribute. A few times during our various hikes through the Utah spectacle, I found myself walking alone with Sean. He told me about the things he loved; Scotland, his wife, his work. He invited me several times to come out to Scotland for a visit and I am so sad that I didn't do that. After the workshop, Sean and I stayed in touch as best we could and exchanged messages on several occasions. I was pleased to see that Sean joined Facebook late last year, as I felt that would make it a bit easier to stay in touch. I don't recall Sean ever mentioning his illness to me. He may have done so in passing, but if so, he acted as if it wasn't a big deal. And in his mind, it clearly wasn't! He certainly didn't let it get in the way of his enjoying and contributing to the shared Utah adventure. Sean, I hope your travels are taking you to exotic places. Godspeed, buddy." - Aldo Spadoni FIAAA - Los Angeles, California 2/27/2010 Noted Space Artist Robert T. McCall Passes at Age 90 An inspiration to many IAAA artists over the years, and indeed for some the person who started them in their art careers by way of example, and also to the many men and women who make the exploration and education of of the realm of space possible every day, has become one with the Cosmos. He was a Fellow of the IAAA and among the six recipients of the IAAA's most prestigious honor first bestowed in 2000, the Lucien Rudaux Memorial Award; named for French astronomer Lucien Rudaux (1874-1947), who wrote and illustrated his own books with paintings that resemble the Apollo photography long before we had any real hope of capability to travel off the planet. Our members have recalled their personal experiences upon learning of Bob's passing: "In 1979, I was working at Johnson Space Center as a technical illustrator on a Space Shuttle systems manual. Bob was working on the "Opening the Space Frontier-The Next Giant Step" mural outside the Johnson Space Center's main auditorium. At that time, I was just beginning to consider the possibility of becoming a space artist. Every few days I would go over and watch him paint and exchange a few pleasantries. Eventually, I met with Bob in Building 45 to discuss his work and he drew me a pretty elaborate sketch in a space art book featuring his work. His enthusiasm was contagious and after that meeting I decided to focus on a career in space art. Over the years, when I have run into Bob at art shows or conferences, he has always been a perfect gentleman and inquired as to what I was working on and what techniques I employed. He and Louise were very welcoming to an artist that was just beginning to get his "brushes" wet. The field has lost one of its founding fathers. Bob, now you are getting a close-up view of the heavens that your paintings so beautifully opened to the world." - Pat Rawlings FIAAA - Dripping Springs, Texas "I visited Bob in his studio in Paradise Valley, Arizona while I was working on commissions for NASA Headquarters. I had long since decided that I wanted to be a space artist and a pilgrimage to this nexus was inevitable, if not just a bit scary for someone like myselfcomparatively new to the field at the time. Both he and Louise were welcoming and gracious as the large Spanish doors to their courtyard swung open, then showing me all around their home and eventually into Bob's spacious separate studio, where we spent quite an amount of time talking about his career and experiences and my aspirations and accomplishments to-date. I was nervous being there and shouldn't have been I suppose. Always wanted to return one day, as it would then be more relaxing. Never got the opportunity but I was in his 'presence' many times. It is said that if you want to know a writer, read what (s)he writes. The same holds true for an artist. If a picture is worth a thousand words, you get to know an artist even better by viewing what (s)he paints. "A very sad loss. I still have the envelope in which he replied to my letter informing him of his Rudaux Award in 2000. In the corner he has drawn a typical little McCall space scene!" - David A. Hardy FIAAA - Birminham, England "It is with sadness to hear of Bob's passing. He will be truly missed. Though I'd never met him, I do remember just after "2001: A Space Odessey" came out and the original paintings for the posters were on display at the Smithsonian. I stood, jaw open, in front of the one showing the PanAM Orion leaving the station that came to symbolize that movie, in awe at the amount of detail, color, and finesse he has acheived. From that moment on, it was an inspiration to try and acheive the same in my own work. Had it not been for those two paintings, I may have gone in another direction with my works." - Walt Barrows - Orlando, Florida "Bob stopped over to SpaceFest in Aug 2007 where Dan, Mikey, Bill, Don Davis, myself and several other IAAAers were working on some pieces at the Artist's table. He was very gracious and commented on several of the art works underway at the table and also hanging. He probably spent several hours there and seemed to just enjoy the chatting and fellowship. He was a great artist - and a great person! He will be missed!" - Frank Hettick - Redmond, Oregon "When the IAAA had our exhibition at the Air & Space Museum in Washington, Bob was there to greet us, our Cosmic Group associates and his support for our charge. He's always been a fan of our art." - Kara Szathmáry FIAAA - Panama City, Florida "Bob McCall was one of the first space artists I became aware of, when I was in college and working at Griffith Observatory in the 1970's. His visionary murals, artwork and posters were inspirational to me as a young space artist and helped spur me along to create a large body of space themed work by my senior year at USC. He was one of the pioneers of the genre and will be sorely missed. " - Robin Hart - Grass Valley, California "With great pleasure I recall how my wife Gayle and I, along with other IAAA members, met the premier Russian space artist, Andrei Sokolov, at function sponsored with wonderful hospitality by Bob and Louise at their lovely house overlooking the Scottsdale area. Picking up on Russian black humor, we tried to convince Andrei (who was in on the joke) that the beautiful home as typical of all starving artists in America. Years later, Andrei hosted me in his own studio and nearby apartment in Moscow. Thanks Louise!" - Dr. William K. Hartmann FIAAA - Tucson, Arizona "I became aware of Bob McCall's artwork in early 1968, when I saw his "2001: A Space Odyssey" posters reproduced in "Parade" magazine. His incredibly dynamic rendering of the space station knocked my socks off. I spent many hours studying it. Later, of course, I discovered the rest of his huge body of work. Along with Bonestell, Pesek, and Hardy, he became one of my heroes.Our entire membership, in one way or another, has been influenced and impacted by Bob and his work. We all mourn the passing of our colleague, friend and mentor. The IAAA Membership has contributed a $500 donation to the Challenger Space Center Arizona Robert McCall Memorial Fund. IAAA President Dirk Terrell received a gracious letter of appreciation from the Executive Director, Kari Sliva, that sums up all of our feelings. - B.E.Johnson FIAAA - IAAA Board of Trustees Astronomy Artists Create Artwork at Kitt Peak Help Observe 50th Anniversary Tucson, Arizona October 2, 2009 In celebration of of the 50th anniversary of our national astronomy observatory, the International Association of Astronomy Artists will be present on the mountain to create artwork at Kitt Peak from October 18 through October 23. The artists welcome interaction with visitors to the observatory. During that week, the professional space artists intend to generate dozens of new works related to astronomy and the observatory. Various media will include acrylic, oils, pastels, watercolor, graphite and lithographic and/or colored pencils. An example of artwork created by one of the artists, a Tucson resident, is Midday on Kitt Peak. It was painted outdoors on site, May 2009, by astronomer William K. Hartmann (Planetary Science Institute, Tucson). Three of the nine IAAA attendees are Arizonan space artists. Tucson resident space artists are Dr. William K Hartmann (astronomer and space artist) and Michelle Rouche (aviation and space artist). John Clark (aviation and space artist) hails from the suburbs of Phoenix. Other attendees come from California, Florida, New Hampshire and Quebec, Canada. These nine represent a small available portion of the 130+ international members of astronomical and space artists of the International Association of Astronomical Artists (IAAA). Kitt Peak served as the birthplace of our national observatories. By the early 1960s, the National Observatory had begun building roads and telescopes on Kitt Peak as well as a headquarters in Tucson. During its first 50 years Kitt Peak National Observatory (KPNO) helped change our understanding of the universe, advanced telescope and instrument operations and design, and trained a large fraction of the astronomy community. KPNO continues to be an active and vital observatory in the U.S. System that began at Kitt Peak with the landmark concept of a national observatory open to all astronomers based on the merit of their scientific proposals. About IAAA Exploring the territory where science and art overlap, a firm foundation of knowledge and research is the basis for each painting. Striving to accurately depict scenes which are at present beyond the range of human eyes, they communicate a binding dream of adventure and exploration. IAAA was incorporated in 1989 as a 501(c)-3 [art] and a 509(a)-2 [educational public benefit] entity. About Kitt Peak and NOAO Featuring the world's largest collection of optical telescopes Kitt Peak National Observatory is located fifty-six miles southwest of Tucson, in the Schuk Toak District on the Tohono O'odham Nation. Kitt Peak National Observatory, part of the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), was founded in 1958. The Kitt Peak National Observatory Visitor Center is open to the public daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. The Kitt Peak Visitor Center is a non-profit educational organization. The visitor center uses earned income and donations to support its operation. There is no fee for admission to the visitor center; three daily docent-led tours of the major telescopes are offered for a fee. For more information about this event, media inquiries should be directed to Elizabeth Alvarez at (520) 318-8414. Members of the public should call 520-318-8726 or visit the Kitt Peak Public Programs webpage for information about programs and visiting Kitt Peak: http://www.noao.edu/outreach/kpvc The National Optical Astronomy Observatory and the National Solar Observatory are operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation. The IAAA is now on
http://iaaa.org/facebook
A Public Outreach Forum to meet, greet and interface with our Artists, post articles, images, "write on the wall" and invite others to discuss the genré and craft of Space Art. Membership in the IAAA is not required.
Posted by IAAA Admin - 1/14/2009 at 02:23:59 (EDT)
I've decided to start a new network for like minded folks to get a taste of unfettered space art. In order to present a decent alternative network [to those that are diffusing the definition of Space Art] I could use some help in populating the new site. If enough space artists sign up I will invite all my friends on the other networks to join the new site if they wish. Please keep in mind this will be a social network where amateur and professional alike can discuss space art or art in general. The new social network will always promote the professional organizations and hopefully, through the actions of their members, inspire people to join them. You can find the new site here: http://spaceart1.ning.com/ . Posted by IAAA Admin for John Kaufmann - 1/11/2009 at 18:40:29 (EDT)
International Astronautical Congress IAAA Exhibition
Four IAAA members from Great Britain travelled to Glasgow, Scotland this Fall to attend the 59th IAC and mount an exhibition of Astromical Art on behalf of the IAAA for all attendees to enjoy during the week. The full story is quite a read, so has been given its own page.
Posted by IAAA Admin
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