Uploaded July 2021 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Recorded: June 19, 2021
For more information, please visit: rockwellcenter.org/symposium
The rich histories relayed by the storytellers, writers, artists, historians, and philosophers have helped to define epic adventures and fantastical characters through time, from The Epic of Gilgamesh in 2100 BCE to the dynastic rivals of The Game of Thrones. Alessandra Pisano, Donato Giancola, and Gregory Manchess will discuss their work as well as the fantasy narratives that have inspired it.
Artist Bios:
The winner of the Spectrum Rising Star award in 2017, Alessandra Pisano often paints images containing elements of mythology and magic. Her oil paintings provide a glimpse into a world where solitary women live and hunt in the wilderness alongside animal companions. Her clients include Wizards of the Coast, Sideshow Collectibles, Fantasy Flight Games, Upper Deck, and Catalyst Game Labs.
Donato Giancola’s admiration for the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien is made apparent in the numerous paintings he has created depicting the Lord of the Rings saga. He has compiled some of these works in the books Middle-Earth: Visions of a Modern Myth (2010) and Middle-Earth: Journeys in Myth and Legend (2019), which features more than two hundred illustrations.
Artist and author Gregory Manchess has created powerful artworks for book covers, magazines, and advertising campaigns, and has been commissioned for projects by the National Geographic Society, the United States Postal Service, and the motion picture industry. He is the author and illustrator of the fantastical adventure tale, Above the Timberline, and he is the designer of the Dragon Crew One patch, created for the historic first SpaceX/NASA collaboration.
Recorded: June 19, 2021
For more information, please visit: rockwellcenter.org/symposium
The rich histories relayed by the storytellers, writers, artists, historians, and philosophers have helped to define epic adventures and fantastical characters through time, from The Epic of Gilgamesh in 2100 BCE to the dynastic rivals of The Game of Thrones. Alessandra Pisano, Donato Giancola, and Gregory Manchess will discuss their work as well as the fantasy narratives that have inspired it.
Artist Bios:
The winner of the Spectrum Rising Star award in 2017, Alessandra Pisano often paints images containing elements of mythology and magic. Her oil paintings provide a glimpse into a world where solitary women live and hunt in the wilderness alongside animal companions. Her clients include Wizards of the Coast, Sideshow Collectibles, Fantasy Flight Games, Upper Deck, and Catalyst Game Labs.
Donato Giancola’s admiration for the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien is made apparent in the numerous paintings he has created depicting the Lord of the Rings saga. He has compiled some of these works in the books Middle-Earth: Visions of a Modern Myth (2010) and Middle-Earth: Journeys in Myth and Legend (2019), which features more than two hundred illustrations.
Artist and author Gregory Manchess has created powerful artworks for book covers, magazines, and advertising campaigns, and has been commissioned for projects by the National Geographic Society, the United States Postal Service, and the motion picture industry. He is the author and illustrator of the fantastical adventure tale, Above the Timberline, and he is the designer of the Dragon Crew One patch, created for the historic first SpaceX/NASA collaboration.
