I have a child-like fascination with robots. Not the realistic kind that make automobiles in Detroit or the ones that look like futuristic dogs. I’m talking about the kind of robot that would greet you with your smoking jacket and the evening news after a hard day’s work or would join up with you to rocket through the cosmos for rollicking space adventures. I’m sure this is part of my fascination with the science fiction of by-gone days (see Sky Captain review). That being said I was quite excited to come across the work of Brian Despain in Spectrum 11.

This past year Brian won a Silver Award in the Industrial category of Spectrum 11 for his work Piscis Ex Machina(shown above). He has done work for several role-playing and collecticable card games and is currently doing conceptual design work for the gaming company Snowblind Studios. Brian has also had his first gallery showing recently at Lunar Boy Gallery. I had held off on posting about Brian’s site because the order page has been down for reconstruction. I recently heard back from his gracious wife, Halima Alli, who encouraged me to go ahead as the “for sale” page will be back up and running shortly. In the meantime, she encouraged visitors to email her at alliha@imphead.com with any questions. She’s very sweet and helpful. Most of the work featured on the site can be purchased in print form. The prints are high quality, reasonably priced, and will be signed on request. Brian Despain’s art has such richness and depth and yet remains quite fun… I sense a kindred spirit of imagination in it all.

The 2 pictures above are copies of prints that I ordered which now grace the wall in front of my desk at work. Matted and framed these two pictures, along with my Phil Noto and Tri-Gun robot, ensure that each work day finds me ensconced in robotic bliss. (in best Homer Simpson voice) MMMMMM….Robots…..