TEACHING EXPERIENCE
University of Arizona (2022 to present):
ART 100G “Pixel.” Intro to digital art making methods. FA 2024, SP 2024, FA 2025
ART 404 “Scratching The Surface.” Special topics: Sketchbook. SUM 2023.
ART 266 “Studio Illustration 1”. Illustration practice. FA 2022, SP 2022, FA 2023, SP 2023.
California State University, East Bay (2021 to 2022):
ART 362 “Illustrating Dynamic Forms.” Adv figure drawing. SP 2021, 2022.
ART 363 “Narrative Illustration.” Adv sequential art illustration. SP 2022.
ART 100 “Fundamentals of Drawing.” Intro to drawing principles. SUM 2021.
EDUCATION
2025 MFA Illustration+Design+Animation. University Of Arizona. Tucson, AZ.
2001 BFA Painting. Brigham Young University. Provo, UT.
INVITED PRESENTER APPEARANCES:
2024 World Fantasy Convention: Artist Guest of Honor. Niagara Falls, NY.
2022 BayCon: Artist Guest Of Honor. Santa Clara, CA.
2021 Multiverse: Artist Guest Of Honor. Peachtree City, GA
2018 WindyCon: Artist Guest Of Honor. Lombard Il.
2018 Balticon: Artist Guest Of Honor. Baltimore MD.
2018 NorwesCon: Artist Guest Of Honor. SeaTac WA.
2016 Creative Ink Fest: Artist Guest Of Honor. Vancouver BC Canada.
2015 ConDFW: Artist Guest Of Honor. Dallas Fort Worth, TX.
WORKSHOPS FACILITATED
2024 Teaching Artist for Mapping Q, a series run by the University of Arizona’s Museum of Art.
AWARDS
2023 Medici Scholarship winner, University of Arizona.
2017 Chesley Award Winner: Best Magazine Cover Art, “Bubbles & Blastoff.”
2017 Spectrum 24 Silver Medal: editorial Illustration, “Seven Salt Tears.”
2016 World Fantasy Award Winner: “Best Professional Artist.”
2013 Hugo Award winner: “Best Fan Artist.”
AWARD NOMINATIONS
2024 Margaret M. Briehl and Dennis T. Ray. Five Star Faculty Award. University of Arizona..
2023, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2015 World Fantasy Award nomination: “Best Professional Artist”
2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2014 Hugo Award Nomination: “Best Professional Artist”
2019 Spectrum Award nominations. Editorial Category “Many Hearted Dog”
EXHIBITIONS
2025
UA MFA thesis exhibition, Center for Creative Photography. Tucson, AZ.
Arisia Art Show, Invitational exhibition. Boston. MA.
2024
UA Museum of Art “Still Queer After All These Years”. Group Show Tucson, AZ.
World Fantasy Convention Art show. Juried exhibition. Niagara Falls, NY.
“Riso Adjacent” Group exhibition, Groundworks Gallery. Tucson AZ.
2023
“Nice To Meet You” Group Exhibition, Rombach Gallery. Tucson, AZ.
“Perpetual Inventory” Group Exhibition, Palo Verde Gallery. Tucson, AZ.
“Scratching The Surface” Group Exhibition. Rombach Gallery. Tucson, AZ.
Arisia Art Show, Invitational exhibition. Boston. MA.
2022
“VASO” Group Exhibition, Palo Verde Gallery, UofA. Tucson, AZ.
Baycon Invitational exhibition. Santa Clara, CA.
Arisia, Invitational exhibition. Boston. MA.
2021
MultiVerse Invitational exhibition. Peachtree City, GA
Arisia Invitational exhibition. Boston. MA.
2020
Arisia. Invitational exhibition. Boston. MA.
2019
World Fantasy Convention Juried exhibition. Las Angeles, CA.
2018
Norwescon Invitational exhibition. SeaTac WA.
Balticon Invitational exhibition. Baltimore. MD.
WindyCon Invitational exhibition. Lombard Il.
World Fantasy Convention Juried exhibition. Baltimore MD.
2014
World Horror Convention Juried exhibition. Portland Or.
World Fantasy Convention Juried exhibition. Washington D.C.
LonCon World Science Fiction Convention Juried Exhibition. London, UK.
2011 World Horror Convention. Juried exhibition. Austin Tx.
Orycon, Juried Exhibition. Portland Or.
2004
BYU Museum of Art, “Metaphorically Speaking” Invitational. Provo Ut.
2003
Woman Made Gallery “Traditions” Juried Exhibition. Chicago IL.
PUBLICATIONS
2019 Spectrum 27, Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art. Editorial: “Many Hearted Dog” Client: Strange Horizons.
2018 Spectrum 25, Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art: Editorial: “Bear Language” Client: Fireside Fiction Company.
2017 Spectrum 24, Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art: Editorial:
“Seven Salt Tears” Client: Lightspeed Magazine.
“Bear Language” Client: Fireside Fiction Company.
“Bubbles and Blastoff” Client: Uncanny Magazine.
2016 ArtOrder invitational: The Journal Artbook. Kickstarter project.
2016 Spectrum 23, Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art: Book and Editorial:
“Not My Circus.” Client: Subterranean Press.
“Tuesdays w Molakesh the Destroyer.” Client: Fireside Fiction Company.
2015 Spectrum 22, Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art: Institutional and Editorial:
“Beyond The Infinite.” Client: ConDFW.
“City On Its Tentacles.” Client: Lackington Magazine.
2014 Spectrum 21, Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art: Editorial: “Abyssus, Abyssum Invocat.” Client: Lightspeed Magazine.
2011 Spectrum 20, Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art: Unpublished: ”The Cairn in Slater Woods.” Client: Personal portfolio piece.
ILLUSTRATION CLIENTS
2024 to present. Simon & Schuster. Book Cover Illustration.
2023 to 2024. University of Arizona, Center for Pain & Addiction. Illustrator.
2021 to present. TOR books. Book Cover Illustration.
2020 to present. Scientific American. Editorial and Magazine Cover Illustration.
2019 to present. Harper Collins. Book Cover Illustration.
2016 to present. Subterranean Press. Book Cover Illustration.
2015 to present. Uncanny Magazine. Editorial and Magazine Cover Illustration.
2016 to present. Strange Horizons. Editorial and Magazine Cover Illustration.
2013 to 2018. Fireside Fiction Magazine. Promotional and Editorial illustration.
2012 to 2020. Lightspeed Magazine. Editorial and Magazine Cover Illustration.
SERVICE
2024 World Fantasy Convention art show jury member. Niagara Falls, NY.
2023 to present. University of Arizona RisoClub President. Tucson, AZ.
2023 Curator: “Riso Adjacent” Group Exhibition. Groundworks Gallery, Tucson, AZ.
2023 Curator: “Scratching The Surface” Group Exhibition. Rombach Gallery, UofA. Tucson, AZ.
2020 World Fantasy Award Judge. Virtual.
2016 to 2022 Search & Rescue volunteer with Southern Arizona Rescue Association. Tucson, AZ.
2022 to 2023 Member Advocate.
2018 to 2022 Technical Team Lead and instructor.
ADDITIONAL TRAINING
2024 UA Study Abroad summer program: Orvieto Italy.
2023 School of Visual Arts Summer Residency, New York, NY.
2023 Remote Mentorship: Sterling Hundley: via Visual Arts Passage.
2023 Remote Mentorship: John English & Dale Stephanos, via Visual Arts Passage.
2022 Remote Mentorship: Gregory Manchess, via Illustration Master Class.
2021 Remote Mentorship with Sam Weber, via Illustration Master Class.
2012, 2014, 2017 Illustration Masterclass, Summer Residency in Amherst, MA.
SKILLS
Book cover & Editorial illustration
Traditional painting & 2d mixed media techniques
Traditional life drawing
Digital illustration
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe Premiere Pro
Adobe AfterEffects
Procreate
Immersive environments
Articles:
The Striking Style of SSF Artist, Galen Dara: https://reactormag.com/the-daring-style-of-sff-artist-galen-dara/
“Inspiring” artist Dara eyes Hugo Award: https://art.arizona.edu/inspiring-illustrator-dara-eyes-hugo-award/