a large crater with smaller "caves" lining the walls. Into each of these I carefully placed one of my Marx dinosaur toys and upon completion I went inside for some reason, perhaps lunch. When I came back out to continue my prehistoric adventures I discovered that my brother had filled in the hole. If someone was trying to tell me something I didn't get the messsage. Dinosaurs have continually resurfaced as a theme in my life and it seems they are here to stay.
As a child no flat surface was safe from my artistic endeavors. These were usually dinosaurs, elephants and gorillas. In school I was the kid the other kids came to with the request to "draw something cool on my notebook!" So it seemed only inevitable that when I went to college I majored in art. While there and for a time afterwords my art was was strongly influenced by the Expessionists, particularly Van Gogh, Edvard Munch and The Blue Riders (Franz Marc & Kandinsky in particular). After acquiring a degree in Fine Art it was off to
After probably 10 years or so of having not drawn any prehistoric creatures I picked up a couple of books that reignited that childhood fascination with the extinct. These books were Bob Bakker's 'the Dinosaur Heresies" and William Stout's "The Dinosaurs." I was soon reading everything I could get my hands on about paleontology. It was like getting to know old friends again! After immersing myself in the science and art found in these books I knew I simply had to make a serious attempt to interpret visually what I was learning .
Eventually I wound up in the office of Dr. Glenn Storrs, the vertebrate paleontologist at the Cincinnati Museum Of Natural History seeking advice and anatomical critique of my dinosaur artwork. Glenn was very open and helpful and while I was there he said "You know, John, we have this fossil prep lab and we need volunteers
There is so much fantastic paleoart being done these days that finding one's own unique "voice" can be a challenge. In my art I attempt to present reconstructions that are as scientifically accurate as possible while at the same time original visions of these marvelous creatures. (I keep telling myself that soon I'm going to do that "Van Gogh" dinosaur portrait.Just wait-I'm doing that baby!) The prehistoric world is wonderful fuel for the imagination. Whether it be a stark black & white, pointillist portrait or a colorful pastel painting, if I can communicate to the viewer just a little of the wonder I feel toward these lost creatures than I will feel I have succeeded. I guess you'll be the judge of that!
John Burris
