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 illness—much to his own surprise—but, 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 contact—just 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 — …and then those few words added…
– Ed Buckley – Glasgow, Scotland
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
