NARROW WAY

Cover illustration for Tanith Lee

Oct 11, 2024

A dark skinned man with blank eyes and white hair sits primly against the smooth face of rock with a tree casting soft shadows across it. The hood of his pristine white robes is drawn up and his hands rest penitently in his lap. He holds a black metal rod, topped with an owl, angled back toward him. On the path leading up to him, a human skull rests on a pebble strewn ground. Beyond, a tall set of stairs leads up to a set of double doors, part of a large paneled arch four times its height. — NARROW WAY (1984), Acrylic on Canvas - 30" x 20"

The greatest measure of my satisfaction as an illustrator comes when I produce an artwork that reflects my artistic concerns just as much as it illustrates the book. This painting is one of the best examples of that happy condition.

I would have done the painting anyway, and it would stand on its own in a gallery without reference to any book; yet it also works well as a cover for the book, Tanith Lee's novel DEATH'S MASTER.

This is one of the few paintings I've done outdoors. I felt the need to paint near real trees with their mottled shadows falling on the ground around me.

Additional images from NARROW WAY

LEFT: Detail from NARROW WAY featuring a dark skinned man with blank eyes and white hair sitting with his back against the smooth face of rock. A tree casts soft shadows across the rock, but a void of black—clearly not shadow—forms an arch behind him. He sits with the posture and facial expression of a blind person. He holds a rod capped with an owl perched on ring that looks like an elongated crescent. RIGHT: Close detail featuring a dark skinned man with blank eyes and white hair sitting primly against the smooth face of rock with a tree casting soft shadows across it. — Details from NARROW WAY

LEFT: Close detail from NARROW WAY featuring a human skull serving as memento mori set on a pebble strewn path. RIGHT: SKULL AND ROCKS, 1984, ballpoint pen on paper, 5 x 7. A skull without mandible and missing a front tooth is set on a rock. The orbital are facing slightly to the right. — Detail from NARROW WAY and preliminary sketch

Book cover for DEATH'S MASTER by Tanith Lee, published by Highland Press — *Death’s Master* by Tanith Lee (Highland Press)

Editor’s note: Death’s Master was originally published in 1979 by DAW Books, but Michael’s art first appeared on the signed limited edition hardcover from Highland Press (pictured above) in 1984. DAW used his art for the first time in 1986 on the cover of the 5th edition. See ISFDB for the full publication history of the book.

Available in our shop

NARROW WAY archivally framed with cream colored mat and distressed natural wood moulding. — A limited edition print of NARROW WAY is available in our shop

Share your thoughts…

We’d love to hear your feedback. Please let us know your thoughts, questions, etc!

Like what you see? Subscribe!

We’re posting art every day on Substack. Don’t want to miss anything? Subscribe to get a weekly email including a recap of daily art posts.

To receive every art post by email, you can opt-in by visiting your account and then clicking the toggle for Daily Art.

Dale Johnson

Oct 17

One of the highlights of my life was getting a commission from Michael to paint the cover for our special edition of Tanith Lee's book.! It was even better than I had hoped!

Expand full comment

Debra Sanders

Oct 14

Unbelievable... you manage to get peace and beauty within the macabre. Truly masterful.