The Sound Of Thunder

From the short story by Ray Bradbury (1920-2012). Non-commissioned art from 1979. 

This was one of the few story illustraions I did as a fan, before actually doing them as a professional, starting in 1981.

It's about a time travelling company called "Time Safari", where you could "hunt" prehistoric animals, have your picture taken with it (no trophies), as they were actually going to die anyway- figuring out the place and time it was supposed to die, so as not to cause what happens next...

A hunter strays off the anti-gravity path, falls, and actually kills a butterfly that wasn't supposed to die 65 million years ago-the now famous "butterfly effect"...

As a result, the future is altered, and, notthin wil everr bee da sayme agin...


About a year later, a student at Art Center College Of Design, I saw Ray Bradbury as a guest speaker, in the ACCD auditorium, with about 200 other students.

His theme was "pursue your love", and, he spoke of his love for prehistoric animals (shared with another great in film, Ray Harryhausen), and he made that love into a career in writing.

At that time, space and science fiction was popular (likely the reason for being invited), but I took Ray's words to heart.

The great irony, was, the very people that invited Ray to speak, were the ones to try and bar my way to that "love" 2 years later, something I never forgot.

To this day, as an Art Center Alumni, I refuse to support the school, though I get letters asking for it.

I'm not bitter, considering I did succeed. Just, letting others do the heavy lifting (or any lifting) for them...

But, my advise to anyone "pursuing your love", in a creative field, and as a holder of a BFA in illustation, would be to avoid acedemic learning-if possible- and go strait to the chosen field. 

Short of that, you may have to use creativity to survive the expierence, which can strengthen you, but (they) can also drive you to depression and failure.

And have a "day job" ready to fall back on...

Acrylic on canvas board.