A Brief Biography of Gary A. Lippincott
After receiving my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Maryland Institute-
College of Art, I began a career as a commercial artist in a variety of fields.
Although I was a painting and drawing major in school, the idea of having to
"make a living" forced me to produce art that was very different from what I
had been making so far. I designed patterns for vinyl flooring for Mannington
Mills, linen towels for Stevens Linen, and corporate identities (logos,
stationery, brochures, etc) for a variety of companies. Eventually I became a
free-lance illustrator for many publishers of textbooks, encyclopedias,
children�s books, calendars, product labels, book covers, greeting cards,
tarot decks, and graphic novels. Although the subject matter of my artwork has
been very diverse, I�m most known for my work that is whimsical or fantasy-like
in nature. I am the author of a "how-to" book titled The Fantasy Illustrators
Technique Book published by Barrons. Although I�ve worked in a variety of
media,( oil painting, etching, pen and ink, pencil, charcoal, etc.) I�ve become
"known" for my highly detailed watercolors. I have also produced bronze
sculpture (using the lost-wax method) that has won me awards in the fantasy
genre. I continued to broaden my artistic skills by learning how to carve wooden
marionettes from a Prague puppeteer.
Some of the "highlights" of my career have been:
-
Painted a 40 foot by 10 foot mural in the lobby of Mannington Mills
corporate office building. This led to me being commissioned by then
Late Night�s co-host Ed McMahon to produce an oil painting for him.
(he was Mannington�s TV spokesperson at the time)
-
Illustrated children�s picture books: The Fisherman and His Wife
by The Brothers Grimm, Ancient Egypt by Daniel Cohen, With
Love at Christmas by Mem Fox, The Prince and the Pauper by
Mark Twain (retold by Marianna Meyer), Caesar Rodney�s Ride- The
Story of an American Patriot by Jan Cherpiko, Birds on a Wire
by J. Patrick Lewis, and Off to the Fairies Ball by Jane Yolen
-
Illustrated many young adult novels including: The Bookstore Mouse
by Peg Christians, Jeremy Thatcher- Dragon Hatcher, Jennifer
Murdley�s Toad, and The Skull of Truth all by Bruce Coville.
and many more to numerous too list.
-
I had one of my fantasy paintings included in the Art of the
Fantastic show at the Society of Illustrators Gallery in NYC.
I've received many awards over the years for my fantasy art at science-fiction/
fantasy conventions, highlighted by winning the prestigious Chesley Award for
two of my pieces of art. This award is voted on by other artists in this genre,
which makes it extra special to me.
When I�m not working in my studio, I can be found composing and playing my music
on the piano, attending gallery receptions, doing book signings and lectures,
or walking in the woods... looking for fairies. More about me and samples of
my work can be found on my
website.
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