The Land of the Long White Cloud is now the land of White Cloud Worlds. There, leading edge fantasy meets the utter brilliance and technical skill of a unique group of New Zealand based artists, whose works are influencing our popular culture - through movies like Lord of the Rings, Avatar and District Nine, gaming and graphic novels, as they unleash the power of their imagination through the technologies and media available to artists at this end of the 21st century. With a foreword by Richard Taylor, twelve fantasy artists have been selected, each with a distinctive voice and style. Along with stunning artworks, many created for this project, which will be the centrepiece of a major long-term exhibition debuting at the Dowse Gallery, Tobin has each artist speak about their motivations, dreams, techniques and influences. From stark, terrifying, alien landscapes and creatures of terror and blighted evil, to paintings of sensual and evocative beauty; from the childlike vision of cuddlesome dwarves to the pathos of their preparing for to fight to the death; from the sensual lyricism of familiar shapes and forms to the groteque and troubling visions of disturbing difference - White Cloud Worlds is guaranteed to stun and amaze. Also available in a limited boxed edition, it will showcase some amazing, innovative creative artists, who operate outside of conventional art culture.

About the Author

Paul Tobin has worked as a concept designer at Weta Workshop since 2003 and is the director of Ignite Inc., a small company dedicated to the celebration of individual creativity through collective projects. Paul also teaches illustration part time at Massey University and works as a freelance concept designer and illustrator. Paul has a Bachelor of Design (Hons) from the Massey University College of Creative Arts and a Bachelor of Arts from Victoria University where he majored in classical studies and English language. He has indulged his passion for ancient worlds by extensive travel and work as a volunteer archaeologist.