Don Maitz
Encyclopedia
Don Maitz is an American science fiction
, fantasy
, and commercial artist. His most widely-known creation is the "Captain" character of the Captain Morgan
brand of rum, although he is perhaps most notable for twice winning the Hugo Award for Best Professional Artist
, science fiction's highest honor for an artist. His peers in the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists
have honored him ten times with a Chesley Award for outstanding achievement, and he has received a Silver Medal of Excellence from the Society of Illustrators
.
A native of Plainville, Connecticut
. He is a 1975 graduate of the Paier School of Art. His art has adorned the covers of books by such luminaries as Isaac Asimov
, Ray Bradbury
, C. J. Cherryh
, Stephen King
, Gene Wolfe
, Michael Moorcock
, and Raymond E. Feist
. Two compilations of his work have been published, Dreamquests: The Art Of Don Maitz, and First Maitz.
Maitz resides in Florida
with his wife, fantasy novelist and artist Janny Wurts
.
Don has also been included in the first book of series concentrating on artists who publish in the realm of Fantasy. This book is called "Fantasy Art Masters: The Best Fantasy and Science Fiction Artists Show How They Work".
The collections are:
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
, fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
, and commercial artist. His most widely-known creation is the "Captain" character of the Captain Morgan
Captain Morgan
Captain Morgan is a brand of rum produced by alcohol conglomerate Diageo. It is named after the 17th-century, Welsh privateer of the Caribbean, Sir Henry Morgan...
brand of rum, although he is perhaps most notable for twice winning the Hugo Award for Best Professional Artist
Hugo Award for Best Professional Artist
The Hugo Awards are given every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was once officially...
, science fiction's highest honor for an artist. His peers in the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists
Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists
The Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists, ASFA, is a non-profit, educational association, whose membership is made up of amateur and professional artists, art directors, art show managers, publishers and collectors involved in the visual arts of Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mythology and...
have honored him ten times with a Chesley Award for outstanding achievement, and he has received a Silver Medal of Excellence from the Society of Illustrators
Society of Illustrators
The Society of Illustrators is a professional society based in New York City. Founded in 1901, the mission of the Society is to promote the art and appreciation of illustration, as well as its history...
.
A native of Plainville, Connecticut
Plainville, Connecticut
Plainville is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 17,328 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 9.8 square miles , of which 9.8 square miles is land and 0.1 square miles is water...
. He is a 1975 graduate of the Paier School of Art. His art has adorned the covers of books by such luminaries as Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov
Isaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...
, Ray Bradbury
Ray Bradbury
Ray Douglas Bradbury is an American fantasy, horror, science fiction, and mystery writer. Best known for his dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451 and for the science fiction stories gathered together as The Martian Chronicles and The Illustrated Man , Bradbury is one of the most celebrated among 20th...
, C. J. Cherryh
C. J. Cherryh
Carolyn Janice Cherry , better known by the pen name C. J. Cherryh, is a United States science fiction and fantasy author...
, Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
, Gene Wolfe
Gene Wolfe
Gene Wolfe is an American science fiction and fantasy writer. He is noted for his dense, allusive prose as well as the strong influence of his Catholic faith, to which he converted after marrying into the religion. He is a prolific short story writer and a novelist, and has won many awards in the...
, Michael Moorcock
Michael Moorcock
Michael John Moorcock is an English writer, primarily of science fiction and fantasy, who has also published a number of literary novels....
, and Raymond E. Feist
Raymond E. Feist
Raymond Elias Feist is an American author who primarily writes fantasy fiction. He is best known for The Riftwar Cycle series of novels and short stories. His books have been translated into multiple languages and have sold over 15 million copies.- Biography :Raymond E...
. Two compilations of his work have been published, Dreamquests: The Art Of Don Maitz, and First Maitz.
Maitz resides in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
with his wife, fantasy novelist and artist Janny Wurts
Janny Wurts
Janny Wurts is an American fantasy novelist and illustrator. She has written several series, including the Wars of Light and Shadow, The Cycle of Fire trilogy, several stand-alone novels, a short story collection and the internationally best selling Empire Trilogy that she co-authored with Raymond...
.
Genres
Don's work covers the broad spectrum of Fantasy & Science Fiction and even horror. He has painted also an extensive collection of Pirates, including the pirate on the labels of Captain Morgan rum.Published works
Don Maitz has published two books featuring his own works, entitled First Maitz and Dreamquests: The Art of Don Maitz. FPG (Friedlander Publishing Group) release 2 90-card sets, each with 5 "chase" cards in 1994 and 1996.Don has also been included in the first book of series concentrating on artists who publish in the realm of Fantasy. This book is called "Fantasy Art Masters: The Best Fantasy and Science Fiction Artists Show How They Work".
Dreamquests: the Art of Don Maitz
Published in 1993, Dreamquests is a collection of Don's works. Raymond E. Feist gives the Introduction, Don gives a few thoughts and then come pages and pages of beautiful images with a glossary at the end to give a title to the image and where it was used - book cover, magazine cover, etc.First Maitz
First Maitz was published in 1998. It is a detailed review by Don of a selection of his paintings, his techniques, his inspirations and some sample sketches along the way to the finished painting. A detailed review of his work.Screen savers
Don and his wife Janny Wurts have collaborated on three screen savers feature their artwork. The screen savers have been created in conjunction with Second Nature, a supporter of non-profit environmental organizations. Second Nature feature screen saver collections from a wide variety of artists and photographers.The collections are: