February Q&A
We had such a fantastic response to the January Q&A that we’ll likely be circling back for a second round of Q&A later in February. There were a few questions that Michael wanted to ponder, but he provided a couple of great answers today.
Also thank you so much for the overwhelming response to the art reveal for AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS last week. Lots of questions flooded in, which I’ll do my best to answer FAQ style.
Michael Everett
When will the Centipede Press edition of At The Mountains of Madness be available?
Michael was YEARS late turning in this cover and felt horrible about how his artistic block impacted everyone involved (there were many excellent artists who contributed interiors to the book). We're unsure how that delay affected the publisher's calendar.
If you're interested in updates from Centipede Press, we recommend signing up for their mailing list.
Will the original painting be offered for sale?
Yes, I believe so based on early conversations. As with most of Michael’s cover art, it may not be listed in the website shop. We have sold cover illustrations there before but most larger paintings sell offline.
If you are interested in a painting, inquiries are always welcome. I’m usually the first point of contact, and I’ll be glad to confirm the “for sale” status, answer questions, and work with Michael and Audrey to price any given piece.
Several years ago, I inventoried the house and studio. The result of that project is that the gallery detail pages on the website are now marked with an “original available” contact button when the painting is still in the Whelan collection. Just click on the painting from the gallery to get to the detail page.
Will we be offering a print of AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS?
We haven’t had in-depth discussions about it yet…so possibly. We often consider prints for new paintings when the book is released.
If you’d like to purchase a print—of this or any other painting—direct feedback helps us make those decisions. Leave a comment here or in chat, send an email, or ply us with cute pictures of your pets.
If you think I’m joking on that last part, the photo of Lessa the Golden Retriever taken at Wrigley Field is my favorite appeal for a print ever!
Paul Marquis on BlueSky Social asked:
“Last Look Back” is gorgeously lit; your answer talks about layering the blue sky as opaque - the underlying color behind everything would be the orange / yellow in his clothing?
I’m fascinated by the method (I still haven’t used it yet as I would typically start from a neutral tone.)
MRW: Yeah, the whole background was that horrible [or so it seemed to me at first] acidic yellow/orange color, which was laid on pretty heavily and intense.
When I started in with that blue color it blew me away; the color contrast was so overwhelming it seemed as if I was painting with fluorescent paints under a blacklight!
Coming out of the studio I was staggering with these psychedelic reverse color afterimage effects going on in my eyes. Trippy, man—as Cheech or Chong might have said.
Ultimately I really liked the effect, and enjoyed the result—though I must say I haven’t been quick to repeat the experiment since I painted this one. 😉
Kelly Springer replied via email to ask:
How does Michael feel about being so beloved by strangers - that his art is so indelibly woven into people’s lives?
For me, it was the dragons of Pern, the Fuzzy Bones cover, and Flinx, along with the Darkover series, that helped ignite my desire to become a writer and continue inspiring me as an artist.
I also cherish his A Spell for Chameleon cover, the first book in Piers Anthony's Xanth series, as well as his Incarnations of Immortality series — was there ever a more perfect embodiment of Chronos? I don’t think so!
Looking back, I realize my very first encounter with his work was through National Geographic’s Picture Atlas of Our Universe.
What a gift it was to be given the stars as a child!
MRW: Well—shuffling my feet and blushing—to be honest I try not to think about it very much. I’m concerned that if I think people are expecting a top notch painting from me every time I’m bound to disappoint, being only human. And that can be pretty blocking, if you let it get to you.
But—Art is communication, right?
So, to feel like I’m connecting is an incredible rush and affirmation, which can go a long way towards helping to carry me through the times when I feel I’m falling short of the mark. The burden of trying to please myself is heavy enough at times, so to know that someone out there likes what I’ve done can be quite encouraging.
Audrey and I were just talking about this the other night. She knows that no matter how many people like a particular piece I’ve done, or how many awards I’ve received, if there’s something I don’t like about one of my paintings, no amount of praise will make it look right to me. I can count the paintings I feel really, totally happy with with one hand, but happily, I don’t have to share that with anyone; I’ll keep my mouth shut and self-criticism to myself. 😉
Many artists are their own worst critics, that’s common knowledge. There isn’t a single painting I’ve done that someone hasn’t expressed a liking for, even the ones I’ve regarded as among my worst and trashed. On the other hand, some of my top favorites are ones that no one has ever asked for a print of. So go figure. You can’t always predict. I try like hell to fool myself otherwise, but my most reliable critic is always Audrey, who usually knows what I’m aiming for in a painting better than I do myself.
All I can do is try my best to listen for the images I’m supposed to be making, and do them as faithfully as possible.
But when a person takes the time to tell me that one of my works has meant something special for them, I feel that that’s the reason I was put on this planet. That’s a priceless gift.
Weekly Art Recap
The Cat Who Walks through Walls - cover illustration for the original Grand Master of SF Robert Heinlein
Asylum - personal work that plays on both meanings of the word
The Night Face - cover illustration for Grand Master Poul Anderson
Causeway - personal work with an inspiration from a song written by Sting
Trantorian Dream - cover illustration for Foundation’s Edge by Grand Master Isaac Asimov
A Dream of Spring - a Palette Gremlin from 2022
Coming Wednesday!
The first reveal in the 2025 Leftovers & Palette Gremlins gallery arrives on Wednesday, February 5 at 11am EST.
This small original painting will be available for purchase in our shop at the same time. An exclusive preview of the original art will be available tomorrow for our paid subscribers on Substack.
If you like in-depth content about Michael Whelan’s art, please consider subscribing. Our weekly newsletters are free, and we offer additional perks like original art previews for paid supporters.
Thank you, Michael, for such a thoughtful and insightful response.
Your words were as inspiring as your art, and it’s clear that Audrey’s role in your process is as integral as the brushstrokes on your canvas. I love the idea of art as communication, and the way you’ve described balancing self-criticism with the joy of connecting to others through your work feels so genuine and relatable.
Your humility, combined with your exceptional skill and dedication, is what makes your art resonate so deeply with so many.
Your work has been a guiding light and has always felt like doorways to other worlds. Thank you for sharing not just your talent but also the heart behind it. It’s a gift that continues to inspire and uplift.
Kelly Springer