James Gurney Facts

Artist and author James Gurney brings a perspective of realism
and scientific accuracy to his work in fantasy.

Background

• Born June 14, 1958 in Glendale, California. Raised in Palo Alto, the youngest of five children of Joanna and Robert Gurney (a mechanical engineer). Earned a B.A. in Anthropology in 1979 with Phi Beta Kappa honors from the University of California at Berkeley. Studied painting at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena,California, where he met his wife Jeanette. In 1984 they moved to the Hudson Valley of New York State, where they raised two sons, Daniel and Franklin.

Selected Illustration Work

• National Geographic Magazine articles:
• “Jason’s Voyage: In Search of the Golden Fleece.” September 1985
• “Humboldt’s Way.” September 1985
• "Central American Map." April 1986
• “The Quest for Ulysses.” August 1986
• “Sealed in Time: Ice Entombs an Eskimo Family for Five Centuries.” June 1987
• “The Prodigious Soybean.” July 1987
• “Wool—Fabric of History.” May 1988
• “The Eternal Etruscans.” June 1988
• “Discovering the New World’s Richest Unlooted Tomb.” October 1988
• “Attic Scene, NGS Centennial.” February 1989
• “Did Neanderthals Speak?” October 1989
• “Kingdom of Kush.” November 1990
• “Uncovering Patagonia’s Lost World.” December 1997
• “Battle of Hampton Roads.” March 2006
• Freelance illustrator for over seventy science fiction and fantasy paperback book covers, 1982-1991, including Quozl by Alan Dean Foster and On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers.
• 1981-2. Scenic background painter for the animated film Fire and Ice (1983), produced by Ralph Bakshi and Frank Frazetta, for which he produced over 500 paintings.

U.S. Postage Stamp Art

• Sickle Cell Awareness, commemorative stamp, issued Sept. 30, 2004.
• The World of Dinosaurs, commemorative pane of 15 stamps, issued May 1, 1997 in Grand Junction, CO. 219,000,000 produced.
• Settling of Ohio, Northwest Territory, 1788, postal card, issued 1988.

Books by James Gurney

• Color and Light: A Guide for the Realist Painter, Andrews McMeel, 2010
• Imaginative Realism: How to Paint What Doesn’t Exist, Andrews McMeel, 2009
• Dinotopia: Journey to Chandara, Andrews McMeel, 2007
• Dinotopia: First Flight, HarperCollins, New York 1999
• Dinotopia: The World Beneath, Turner Publishing, 1995
• Dinotopia: A Land Apart from Time, Turner, 1992
• The Artist’s Guide to Sketching (coauthored with Thomas Kinkade) Watson-Guptill, 1982

Books with James Gurney art

• James Gurney: The World of Dinosaurs, by Michael K. Brett-Surman and Thomas R. Holtz, Jr., Greenwich Workshop Press, 1998

Articles by James Gurney

• “James Gurney Masterclass: Atmospheric Effects: Part 1,” International Artist, Feb./Mar. 2011
• “James Gurney Masterclass: Part 10,” International Artist Magazine, Dec./Jan. 2011
• “James Gurney Masterclass: Part 9,” International Artist Magazine, Oct./Nov. 2010
• “Terrible-Lizard-Happy-Dream-Kingdom: The Origins of Dinotopia,” Phi Beta Kappa Magazine, Fall 2010.
• “The Science Behind Visual Perception,” ImagineFX Magazine, September 2010.
• “James Gurney Masterclass: Part 8,” International Artist Magazine, Aug./Sept. 2010
• “James Gurney Masterclass: Part 7,” International Artist Magazine, June/July 2010
• “James Gurney Masterclass: Part 5 & 6,” International Artist Magazine, Apr./May 2010
• “James Gurney Masterclass: Part 3 & 4,” International Artist Magazine, Feb./Mar. 2010
• “James Gurney Masterclass: Part 2,” International Artist Magazine, Dec./Jan. 2010
• “25 Steps to a Lived-In Future,” ImagineFX Magazine, December 2009
• “James Gurney’s 10 Tips for Realistic Dinosaurs,” Prehistoric Times Magazine, Fall 2009
• “James Gurney Masterclass: Part 1,” International Artist Magazine, Oct./Nov. 2009
• “Asher Durand: Plein-Air Pioneer,” Plein Air Magazine, Apr. 2005
• “Recreating History for National Geographic,” Step-By-Step Graphics, Volume 6, Number 7, 1990.

Selected Articles about James Gurney

• “Artist in Residence: James Gurney,” ImagineFX Magazine, June 2010
• Yu, Anavel, “Return to Dinotopia,” cover feature, Fantasy Art Magazine (China), People’s Republic of China, January 2010
• Zimmer, Dan, “The Imaginative Realism of James Gurney” Illo Magazine, October 2009
• Haber, Karen, “Listening to the Dinosaurs,” Realms of Fantasy Magazine, April 2008
• “Return to Dinotopia,” Ranger Rick Magazine, April 2008
• “Legend: James Gurney,” ImagineFX Magazine, April 2008
• Bielby, Matt, “Land of the Giant,” DeathRay Magazine (UK), January 2008
• Maltby, Anna, “Back to Dinotopia,” Time Magazine for Kids, October 26, 2007
• Fredericks, Mike, “Dinotopia’s James Gurney,” cover feature, Prehistoric Times Magazine, Fall 2007
• Parks, John A., “Fact and Fantasy: The Paintings of James Gurney,” cover feature, American Artist Magazine, November 2006
• Zeit, Tom, “Fine Art of Fantasy,” The Artist’s Magazine, February 2006
• King, Jennifer, “The New Hudson River School,” Plein Air Magazine, April 2005
• “James Gurney: The New Hudson River School”, New York State Conservationist Magazine, Dec. 2004
• Halls, Kelly Milner, “My Father Made Me...,” U.S. Kids Magazine, March 1997
• Maronie, Sam, “The Earth’s Heartbeat,” cover feature, Dinosaurus Magazine, June/July 1996
• Meyers, Ric, “Return to Dinotopia,” Realms of Fantasy Magazine, December 1995
• Jackson, Donald Dale, “Dinotopia: The Magical World of James Gurney,” cover feature, Smithsonian Magazine, September 1995
• Churchman, Deborah, ”Dinotopia,” Ranger Rick Magazine, May 1994
• Kahn, Toby, “Prehistoric Pals”, People Magazine, Dec.14, 1992
• Bensimhon, Miriam, “Living with Dinosaurs: Inside the Mind of a Man Who Makes Fantasy Seem Real,” Life Magazine, October 1992

Selected Awards

• 3 Gold & 2 Silver Awards, Spectrum Annual of Contemporary Fantasy Art.
• Best Artist, Hudson Valley Magazine Awards, 2006.
• Finalist, Art Renewal Center Salon, 2005.
• Gold Medal, Creativity 28 (Dinosaur Stamps).
• Merit Award, Art Directors Club, 67th Annual Exhibition, 1988.
• Silver Medal, Society of Illustrators, New York.
• World Fantasy Award, World Fantasy Association.
• Colorado Children’s Book Award, (Best Junior Novel).
• 2 Hugo Awards, World Science Fiction Convention.
• 7 Chesley Awards, Association of Science Fiction Artists.

Selected Solo Museum Exhibitions

• 2011 Dinotopia: Journey to Chandara, the Paintings of James Gurney,” The Alden Dow Museum of Science and Art, Midland, MI
• 2010 Da Chandara al’ Antico Egitto, Palazzo Ducale, Lucca Comics & Games, Italy
• 2010 Dinotopia: The Fantastical Art of James Gurney, Norton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach, FL
• 2010 Dinotopia: The Fantastical Art of James Gurney, Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington, Delaware
• 2009 Retour à Dinotopia, Festival International de Science-Fiction De Nantes, France
• 2009 Return to Dinotopia, Centre for Life, Newcastle, UK
• 2008-9 Retour à Dinotopia, Maison d’Ailleurs, Yverdon, Switzerland
• 2007 Return to Dinotopia, Oshkosh Public Museum, Oshkosh, Wisconsin
• 2006 Dinotopia: The Fantastical Art of James Gurney, Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge, Massachusetts
• 2006 James Gurney’s Dinotopia, The Alden Dow Museum of Science and Art, Midland, Michigan.
• 2004 Dinotopia: A Land Apart From Time, Oshkosh Public Museum, Oshkosh, Wisconsin
• 2004 Dinotopia:Un Pays Hors Du Temps, Palais Granvelle, Besançon, France
• 2003 Dinotopia et les Mondes Perdus, Maison d’Ailleurs, Yverdon, Switzerland
• 2002 Dinotopia, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC
• 1998 Dinotopia, Carnegie Public Museum, Three Rivers, Michigan
• 1996 James Gurney’s Art of Fantasy, Richmond Children’s Museum, Richmond, Virginia
• 1994 Dinotopia, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Ohio
• 1994 Tiffany Windows, Tiffany & Co. Jewelers, Fifth Avenue, New York, New York
• 1993 Dinotopia: The Art of James Gurney, Buffalo Museum of Science, Buffalo, NY
• 1993 Dinotopia: The Art of James Gurney, Royal Tyrell Museum, Drumheller, Alberta, Canada
• 1993 Dinotopia: The Art of James Gurney, New Mexico Museum of Natural History, Albuquerque, New Mexico
• 1992 Dinotopia: The Art of James Gurney, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, California

Selected Group Museum Exhibitions

• 2010 Focus on Nature XI, official poster image, Guild of Natural Science Illustrators Biennial Exhibition, New York State Museum, Albany, New York
• 2010 Genesis: Authors/Illustrators, Foster Gallery, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.
• 2009-2010 Enchantment, Joseloff Gallery, University of Hartford, CT
• 2008 Art in Embassies Program, US State Department. Works in embassies of San’a, Yemen and Geneva, Switzerland.
• 2008 The Art of National Geographic, Allentown Art Museum, PA
• 2008 Focus on Nature X, Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, New York State Museum.
• 2005 Spectrum Exhibition, Society of Illustrators, New York City
• 2005 The Magic of Storybook Art, Rye Arts Center, Rye, NY
• 2003 The Art of the Stamp, Smithsonian Postal Museum, Washington DC
• 2001 Passages, Brattleboro Museum of Art, Vermont
• 2000 Picturing T. Rex, Field Museum, Chicago, Illinois
• 2000 Pushing the Envelope: The Art of the Postage Stamp, The Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge, MA
• 1999 Possible Futures: Science Fiction Art, University of Maryland.
• 1999 Art of National Geographic: A Century of Illustration, National Geographic Society Explorer’s Hall, Washington, DC
• 1998 Designing Dinosaurs, Bruce Museum, Greenwich, Connecticut
• 1994-1995 DreamWeavers, William King Regional Arts Center, Abingdon, Virginia
• 1990 The Art of Fantasy and Science Fiction, Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington, DE
• 1990 Into the Future, Park Avenue Atrium, New York City.
• 1987 The Five by Seven Image: Paperback Art, Society of Illustrators, New York City
• 1986 Fantastic Art, Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington, Delaware
• 1986 National Geographic Illustrators, Society of Illustrators, New York City
• 1984 Visions of Other Worlds, Cleveland Museum of Natural History

Selected Lecture Venues

• Schools: Vassar College, Otterbein College, Academy of Art University/San Francisco, Hartford Art School, Ringling College of Art and Design, Columbus College of Art and Design, Syracuse University, California College of Art (SF), Art Center College of Design, San Jose State University, Otis College of Art, CalArts, Cal State Fullerton, Art Institute/Phoenix, Fashion Institute of Technology (NYC), Rhode Island School of Design, Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design, Laguna College of Art and Design, The Art Institute/Boston at Lesley University, Rochester Institute of Technology, SUNY Fredonia, University of the Arts (Philadelphia), University of Toronto, Seneca College (Toronto), The Hotchkiss School, The Millbrook School, St. Alban’s School, Grand Central Academy, The Academy of Realist Art.
• Museums: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, New York State Museum, National Geographic Society, Delaware Art Museum, Norton Museum of Art, The Eric Carle Museum, Norman Rockwell Museum, Oshkosh Public Museum, Philadelphia Academy of Natural Sciences, The Mariners Museum, Mazza Museum at The University of Findlay (Ohio)
• Movie Studios: Lucasfilm, DreamWorks Animation SKG, Sony Imageworks, Blue Sky Entertainment, Rhythm and Hues, Disney Imagineering.
• Game Companies: Blizzard Entertainment, Trion World Network.
• Public Libraries: Los Angeles Public Library, Carlsbad (California) Public Library.
• Annual Meetings: American Society of Architectural Illustrators, Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, World Science Fiction Convention, Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators.

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For more information, please visit www.dinotopia.com or www.jamesgurney.com

PO Box 693, Rhinebeck, NY 12572-0693