Witches & Wizards/Witches and Wizards (Simply Media)(1999).bin/VIEWER/BIOS/DAVIS_G.TXT

Text File | 1998-06-04 | 3KB | 35 lines

Gary Davis
c/o Future Dreams
1800 East Burnside
Portland, OR 97214

Phone: [phone] (Future Dreams)


Legend has it that I was born in Eugene, Oregon.  Art was my passion.  From the very earliest beginnings
I can't remember not being fascinated with it all.  Especially trying to draw from memory with the utmost
preeision.  My parents got my brother, Rick, and I a blackboard early on (to circumvent the defacing of
wallpaper), at which endless hours were spent.  Later on it was reams of typing paper and a fountain pen.
Without pencil preliminaries, in complete ignorance or proper procedure, I'd start from point "A" and go
to point "Z" to finish, never knowing any other way.  I thought I was pretty darn good.  However, nothing
survives from those days to prove the case.

While other kids gave up on it or just grew out of it, I couldn't leave art alone.  So it's been all my life.  I
took a correspondence course with Famous Artists School, which was immensely helpful.  Suddenly, I
found myself being part-time staff in the art department of the "Oregonian."  It was the best job I ever had.
I'd probalbly still be there were it not for a sojourn in the Twilight Zone, which will not here be revisited.

Suffice it to say, I found myself pursuing a career in SF&F illustration, which I'd always wanted to do
anyway.  But that was anticlimax.  Small press and short-lived semi-prozines were interested enough, but
the Big Time was elusive.  With one exception.  HEAVY METAL wanted a story based on a bit of art I
submitted, intending it as filler only.  So I got into comics at the very top.  I kept trying to get the attention
of the serious SF&F market -- to no avail.  Parallel to this was the continuing flirtation with comics.  I
couldn't bring myself to do superheroes, where the big bux were.  This eventually led me to publish my
own book, THE STARJONGEUR COLLECTION.  It lasted only two issues.  However, it gave me entree
into Dark Horse Comics, where I've been getting a few things published from time to time over the past
few years.  Then there was this L. Ron Hubbard thing.  It was one of those "whythehellnot" things.  I
figured there was an even chance I might win one there.  And so it was.  I was one of the quarterly
winners of 1992.  And, at the award ceremonies, I met Algis Budrys and got an illustrating assignment for
his TOMORROW Magazine; I have had several more since, and one of my paintings was used for a cover
illustration.