THIS BLOG IS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF GERRY ANDERSON 1929 - 2012, CREATOR OF THUNDERBIRDS & CENTURY 21 TOYS.

Saturday, 18 August 2012

CARPET CRAWLERS

Currently on a short Moonbase stopover before our next trip into darkest Europe and Mars Base resumes full transmission tomorrow. Just enough time then to talk about my favourite Sci Fi painting, Moon Crawler by the late great John Schoenherr. For some reason it puts me in mind of Curiosity currently trundling round Mars. The painting graced the cover of the famous Sci Fi magazine ANALOG, October 1962. Its pictured above. Just under a year ago I published two similar 'sketches' by the artist with the kind permission of his son Ian Schoenherr, a children's writer and illustrator in Woodside, New York. The sketches are truly beautiful and show clearly John's developing crawler concept. Ian also flagged it up on his own blog [Moon Crawler] about his Dad's work, a really lovely site about a great artist of not only space subjects but in particular nature also. You'll find letters from Maurice Sendak, fascinating model photo's for his book cover paintings and the origin of the Star Wars Wookie amongst many other insights into this much-missed artist. I wonder how he would have actually tackled painting NASA's Martian Curiosity?


Short of owning a gorgeous Schoenherr original sketch, it is possible to own a canvas print of the ANALOG Moon Crawler if you live in the States. ANALOG, in partnership with Vinylz Inc., have created a range of pulp cover canvases to adorn the front room's of America. Check out the Moon Crawler dimensions and price here. Shucks, wish I lived across the Pond! I'd get one!


In the meantime I'll comfort myself with  a listen to a tune which reminds me of my favourite vehicle, Carpet Crawlers by erstwhile Seventies prog-rockers Genesis. You can here it too on You Tube. I've never worked out what a Carpet Crawler actually is but I like the song! You?


"You got to get in to get out"

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