Illustrator of the Week

John Jude Palencar

Artist and illustrator, John Jude Palencar, is known throughout the world for his distinctive, ethereal style and unique conceptualization. For more than 20 years he has received honors for his contributions to the field of illustration including Gold and Silver Medals from the Society of Illustrators, two Gold Book Awards from Spectrum, and Best Hardcover and two best Paperback Awards from the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists for three consecutive years. Besides being an active artist and illustrator, he has served on the juried of several international art competitions.

His work has appeared on hundreds of book covers in over thirty countries. Renowned authors, H.P. Lovecraft, Ursula LeGuin, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Octavia Butler, Stephen King, Charles deLint and Christopher Paloini are but a few. TIME Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine, National Geographic Magazine and Television, and the Philadelphia Opera have employed his artistic talents for their publications and productions. Most recently, his cover paintings for Eragon and Eldest, by Christopher Paolini, has appeared on the New York Time Children’s Best Seller List for the past year. An influence on the young Eragon’s birthplace, “Palancar Valley” after John Jude. The newest book in the Inheritance Trilogy releases this fall. His recent work can also be seen on the cover of The Black Tattoo by Sam Enthoven.

He has been a featured artist in IDEA Magazine in Japan and enjoys an on-going artist-in-residence program in County Kerry, Ireland. There, his paintings were included in a special exhibit entitled, “Images of Ireland”, held at the National Museum in Dublin. He also donated his work to raise money for Cill Rialaig Project at the 6th Annual Ambassador’s Golf Classic held in Waterville, County Kerry, Ireland.

His work was featured in an exhibition entitles, “As Seen Ohio: Nine Illustrators”, at the Centro Cultural Recoleta in Argentina as well as The Spectrum Retrospective Exhibition held at The Society of Illustrators Museum of American Illustration in New York City. John Jude also has participated in dozens of group exhibitions at colleges and universities throughout the country.

His paintings are in numerous corporate and private collections in the United States and abroad.

http://www.johnjudepalencar.com/home.htm