Don Maitz

Don Maitz has produced outstanding work in exploring paths of fantastic realism. For twenty five years, he has produced narrative paintings containing fantasy, science fiction, and historical images. His career began with New York City book publishing.

Don's artwork evolved within this market and has expanded into many other areas. He has received considerable exposure as the original and continuing artist of the Captain Morgan Spiced Rum pirate character. Joseph Seagrams & Sons, The National Geographic Society, Bantam DoubleDay Dell, Warner Books, Random House Publishing, Watson Guptill, Penguin USA, and Harper Collins Publishers are some of his clients. His work has been produced for the limited edition print market with images released by Mill Pond Press, and the Greenwich Workshop.

His works are internationally recognized and acclaimed. He has twice won science fiction's accolade for best artist, the Hugo award. He has received a Howard award from the World Fantasy Convention, a Silver Medal and Certificates of Merit from New York's Society of Illustrators, and ten Chesley awards from his peers in the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists. His paintings were included at NASA's 25th Anniversary presentation. He helped initiate the first ever museum showing of fantastic paintings at the New Britain Museum of American Art in Connecticut where the public broke all previous attendance records. His work has been included at the Park Avenue Atrium, the Hayden Planetarium, the Society of Illustrators - all located in New York City. His works were included in two large exhibits of fantastic art - at both the Delaware Art Museum and Canton Art Museum. These popular exhibits inspired a follow up show at each museum. The San Diego Maritime Museum, the Orlando History Center, and the Key West Custom House have enthusiastically displayed his pirate paintings in exhibitions pursuing that theme.

Don Maitz attended the Paier School of Art from 1971-75, where he graduated top of the class, since, his work has enhanced various published formats including: book, magazine, cards, record album, compact disk, poster, limited edition print, puzzle, collector plate, and computer screen saver programs. Two art books of his color paintings have been reproduced titled Dreamquests, The Art of Don Maitz containing ninety images from his varied career; and First Maitz a collection of paintings with the artist's insights and notes on technique. Both editions have sold out. Besides illustrating many book covers by authors such as, Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, C.J. Cherryh, Raymond E. Feist, Allan Dean Foster, and Michael Moorcock, he illustrated a limited edition publication of Stephen King's novel, Desperation. Don also has illustrated two short stories and a British edition novel written by his wife, author/artist Janny Wurts.

The May 1999 issue of "National Geographic Magazine" contains a commissioned pirate illustration that also appeared with other of his works on national television's Dateline NBC. His work is featured among ten artists in an art book titled Fantasy Art Masters. He has worked as a conceptual artist on an animated feature film titled, "Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius". In addition he served as guest instructor at the Ringling School of Art and Design in the 1985-1986 semesters and has lectured at colleges, universities, and conventions all over the United States.

He lives in Florida with his wife, Janny Wurts, the noted fantasy novelist and artist who paints covers to the books she writes. They share a studio home with four cats and three horses.

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Iffin you've ever seen a billboard along the freeway advertising Capt. Morgan's Rum, or looked at the label on the rum bottle as ya were emptyin' it, then you've seen this artist's work. He is also well known for his covers on science fiction and fantasy books. Though the demands of Science Fiction and Fantasy art pay the bills, one of his first loves is paintin' salty buccaneers. The rough pencil sketches he makes before painting his color pirate portraits often appear in "No Quarter Given" as covers or interior drawings. Don lives in Florida, near Sarasota (with his talented wife Janny Wurtz, author and artist). He often gets out on the sea, and has witnessed many a pirate battle re-enactment. Perfect ambience for a swashbucklin' artist.