Bio and Artist's Statement
Bio
Erika McGinnis has been painting and drawing since she was very young. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Art from Boise State University in 1998 with an emphasis in art history. Erika currently is the assistant editor of Pulsar, a newsletter published for the International Association of Astronomical Artists (www.IAAA.org). Her art has shown at various sci-fi conventions around the U.S. and has won “Best of Show” and “Best New Artist” awards. Erika has instructed art classes for Boise State University’s Extended Studies program, Boise Watershed Project and at the Eagle Art Gallery in Eagle, Idaho. She has done numerous illustrations for books, CD covers, and magazines, such as such as Farscape-Season Three, Black Petals and Tales of the Talisman. Recently, she was featured in Professional Artists Magazine, did an illustration for an article in Forbes Magazine and was one of the artists displayed in the Smithsonian's online Spacewalk 50. Recently, she did the storyboard illustrations for Railway to the Moon, a children’s book by astronaut Ron Garan. Her artwork has shown at the US Air Force Museum in Dayton, Oh, Ames Research Center in a show called Small Worlds and was published in a collective book called The Beauty of Space as well as the second edition.
Nine years ago, Erika started a company called Under the Cobalt Sky, LLC, which carries a line of products featuring her artwork and jewelry that emphasizes different ages of art history. You can find her jewelry at her Etsy shop called the Cobalt Vault.
Artist's Statement
Gazing up at the night sky fills me with wonder about the world in which we live. It brings me back to a childhood filled with awe about learning everything there was to know. My early exposure to science, astronomy, natural history and art all have served to shape my artistic vision and I desire to retain that viewpoint of wonder. I am forever grateful to the observatories, planetariums, science centers and museums that added to the mosaic of my being. I have a restless spirit that I try to incorporate into my art. I hope to revive that spirit and curiosity in the viewer. As a painter, I create realistic and surrealistic work focusing on the universe, our history and spirituality. My paintings express the beauty and wonder of our time of exploration of the universe and of the ancient past. The process starts with an idea from history or myth and is fully processed in my mind before beginning to sketch right on the surface to be painted. I prefer to use bright, illuminating colors in my work and am completely in love with the vibrancy of Cobalt blue, which is in all of my paintings.
Highlights
from resume:
Contact Erika for a complete resume.
B.F.A., Boise State University, 1998 -emphasis in art history
Memberships: International Association of Astronomical Artists (IAAA) – Pulsar editor 2012 to 2021, assistant editor from 2021 to present
International Dark Skies Association (IDA) 2020 -
Exhibitions:
2021 The Beauty of Space, Wright-Patterson AFB, Dayton, OH 2021 Spacefest XI, Tuscon, AZ 2020 Lowell Observatory, Flagstaff, AZ 2019 Spacefest, Tuscon, AZ 2018 Johnson Space Center, Houston, TX 2016 Draco, Biosphere 2, Oracle, AZ 2015 Represented by Eagle Art Gallery, Eagle, ID 2014 Apollocon, Houston, TX 2012 Boise Water Shed Environmental Art Project, Garden City, ID 2012 Apollocon, Houston, TX – Judges award 2011 Small Worlds and Beyond, NASA Ames Research Center, CA 2009 JAXA Sprite Satellite launched into orbit with artwork on silicon wafer, Tokyo, Japan 2009 Conduit, SLC, UT – Best in Show 2009 International Space Development Conference, Orlando, FL 2008 Yuri’s Night, Ames Research Center, CA 2007 International Space Development Conference, Dallas, TX 2007 Conduit, Salt Lake City, UT – Best of Show 2007 Life, the Universe and Everything, Brigham Young University, UT 2002 Norwescon Science Fiction Convention, Seattle, WA; Honorable Mention – Sci-Fi 2001 Incon Science Fiction Convention, Spokane, WA; Best New Artist, Best Science Fiction 2001 Rustycon Science Fiction Convention, Seattle, WA - Best of Show
Published
Muana Kea published in Astronomy Magazine, 2022
Storyboards for Railway to the Moon, 2020
Illustration for Forbes Magazine article, 2016
Inside illustrations for Tales of the Talisman 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
Featured artist in Professional Artist Magazine, 2012
New Star Tarot Deck licensed to Wizard, Too, online app, 2012
Inside illustrations for Tales of the Talisman, 2011
Medical illustrations for EEG manual, I Can Hear Your Heartbeat, 2011
Inside illustrations for Tales of the Talisman, 2009, 2010
Open Studios Annual, 2009
Cover art and inside illustrations for Vines, Rhymes and Herbal, by Marc Mason, 2006
Inside illustrations for Tales of the Talisman Magazine, 2005
Inside illustrations for Black Petals Horror Magazine, 2004
New Star Tarot card deck and journal published by Windstorm Creative, Ltd., 2004
Cover art for Farscape, Season Three, 2002
Inside illustrations for Outer Darkness Magazine, 2001 & 2004
Limited edition print “Illuminare”, signed and numbered, 1998
Same work published in artist collective calendar for Color Q Printers, 1999
Jacket and inside illustrations for Rookery Eternal, Book 1, by Kholman Porter, 1999
Links www.iaaa.org
Forthcoming Projects
Series of paintings depicting Idaho’s Ribbon of Jewels, parks along the Boise River named after women who contributed greatly to the community.
A commission for an exhibition at the Old Idaho Penitentiary.