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michaelwhelan.bsky.social
Fine artist of Imaginative Realism. Retired illustrator of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Winner of 15 Hugo Awards. Inducted into the SF Hall of Fame in 2009.
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OUT OF THE SHADOWS (2014) Acrylic on Panel - 12" x 24" With this painting I revisit themes developed in my "Passage" series, featured heavily in my first couple of one-man shows at the Tree’s Place gallery. 1/3

submitted 13 hours ago • 2 comments

Pulling back the curtains on this week's Palette Gremlin...

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

DRIVE TIME IN ORBIT CITY (2025) Acrylic - 7 ½” x 10 ¾” This began as a paint blot on the board covering my drafting table. The marks suggested an odd spaceship, so I doodled that in with leftover colors. There the sketch remained for months while I was working on other projects. 1/4

submitted 1 day ago • 2 comments

Colour study 2 Actually original below👇

submitted 1 day ago • 2 comments

The perfect lighting: "Dusk" by @angelarium.bsky.social‬ This piece exhibited last year at @abendgallery.com‬ in Denver! #beautifulbizarre #AbendGallery #PeterMohrbacher #digitalartist #HalloweenArt #dusk #death #grimreaper #art

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

Tomorrow we'll be revealing a new science fiction painting for the 2025 Leftovers & Palette Gremlins gallery. This small original will be available in our shop on June 25 at 11am ET. A preview is now available for our paid supporters on Substack: theartofmichaelwhelan.substack.com/p/2025-l-and...

submitted 2 days ago • 0 comments

We do have art for Whelan Wednesday tomorrow, a new Palette Gremlin, but we're running a little late on the preview because Michael is still working on the painting. Watch for that later tonight. ~ME

submitted 2 days ago • 0 comments

A U.S. citizen on their way to work abducted by ICE then locked in a basement, with federal government employees refusing to consider indisputable proof of citizenship. Congress endorses it. SCOTUS keeps thwarting judges from even slowing it. What more is there to say? We live under fascism now.

submitted 2 days ago • 61 comments

TERMINUS (2007) Acrylic on Canvas - 36" X 48" Growing up in the fifties and sixties most of us fully expected the progress so evident in society and the space sciences to continue at the same headlong pace they had shown during those years. 1/4

submitted 2 days ago • 5 comments

Hey #Booksky I'd love to work on more book covers! Any authors out there looking for a cover artist? 👀 #art #fantasyart

submitted 2 days ago • 5 comments

Kind of a tough question. Things DID change for me somewhat, but even after going through such an experience, over time “the persistence of the normal” asserted itself, and I found myself all too often stuck in some of the same ruts and routines previous to my hospitalization. 1/9

submitted 3 days ago • 1 comment

Like most illustrators of my era, I’m well familiar with Syd’s work and have always admired it, so I can’t deny that there’s a visual memory of his work nestled there in my brain! When doing this piece, I didn’t set out to replicate his work... 1/2

submitted 3 days ago • 1 comment

Remember, it was commissioned for a book cover. The publisher didn’t want any graphic elements which might compete with the title type (They stuck the image in a box anyway, so it wouldn’t have mattered 😉).

submitted 3 days ago • 2 comments

THANATOS (1983) Acrylic - 24" x 36" Just before beginning this painting I broke my right hand—my painting hand!—and found myself forced to function with my fingers, wrist, and arm immobilized in a cast. Determined not to let the injury stop me, I employed tricks to circumvent my infirmity. 1/5

submitted 3 days ago • 18 comments

CARTOON OF THE DAY… 🇺🇸

submitted 4 days ago • 213 comments

I feel another “etiquette in the comments” thread brewing, but I’ll cut to the chase. DMs are open if you have thoughts to express about where we should be posting or the political fights you want us to take on. 😒 -ME

submitted 3 days ago • 6 comments

Which cover for THE MADNESS SEASON by C.S. Friedman sold better? The answer may surprise you... In our June Q&A newsletter, we're running a poll so you can weigh in. Which cover did you buy—or alternatively would you be more likely to buy? theartofmichaelwhelan.substack.com/p/a-question...

submitted 4 days ago • 7 comments