35 years ago today, Star Wars was released and my life (such as it was at five years old) became forever enthralled by that film. My earliest exposure was through the toys and trading cards, and I didn't even see it in a theatre upon its original release. Over the years, though, I devoured any artwork associated with the Star Wars movies, specifically paying close attention to Ralph McQuarrie and Joe Johnston; they didn't influence my work much (I don't draw or paint like them), but they inspired me as much as any of the artists I draw inspiration from...and in ways I probably still don't fully understand.
Basically, I have to concur with Simon Pegg here:
"It's pretty much impossible for me to quantify the full effect Star Wars had on my life. It inspired my imagination, developed my vocabulary, broadened my appreciation of music and my understanding of filmmaking. It gave me my first crush, my first real aspirations. It changed my life not just because of its worth as a piece of cinema, it was more than that, it was its power to alter the fabric of society. I was an impressionable seven-year-old child at the epicenter of a cultural earthquake. It arrived on a tidal wave of hype from a nation waking up from a deep depression and it was impossible to ignore. It speaks volumes that one film and its second, more grown-up installment have effectively powered the idea through increasing inadequate iterations for more than 35 years. You cannot underestimate the power of Star Wars.”
Despite my huge interest in and love of science fiction, Star Wars, Star Trek and so on, out of hundreds of paintings, I've done only a handful of sci-fi-related ones; a small enough number to list here: [break], Skin, The Princess, Captains, and maybe a couple others that aren't quite as good as these.
By the way, the titular corridor in the painting is based on that of the Death Star.
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