Testimonials
Rick Wakeman’s forward in Dragon’s Dream
"I first came across Roger’s unique work way back in 1971, when Steve Howe introduced the rest of us in Yes to this amazing artist he’d come across. I remember being totally bowled over, as indeed we all were, and within weeks Roger had become the ‘sixth member’ of Yes. His unique style, unparalleled skill and stunning imagination, combined with a pure natural talent, have made him a twentieth and twenty-first century icon in the world of art. You can add to this his phenomenal success with sojourns in the world of architecture and design. Very few artists of the last 40 years have made the kind of impact that Roger Dean has, and he has already created a legacy for both himself and also for the world of art as a whole.
For me personally, Roger’s art has a way of leading me gently into the canvas to embark on a journey of never-ending discovery. There always seems to be something new to discover, and that is where his association with music really stands out. Music also needs to offer something new with every visit. Put the two mediums together, and you have something really special. And that is the one word that sums up Roger Dean and his work: special. In fact, in retrospect, there should be the adverb ‘very’ before that adjective!"
Syd Mead’s foreword in Dragon’s Dream
"There is a particular joy in knowing fellow artists and designers who favour the world with expert and inventive forays into the unexplored regions of imagination. I have known Roger Dean since the mid-1970s, when he and his brother Martyn left London to visit me in Southern California to photograph some of my artworks. They had formed a publishing company called Dragon’s Dream to publish books – by Roger and other like-minded artists – which they thought would appeal to a new wave of readers appreciative of the magic of graphic images and arcing visualized explorations into the far-flung reaches of inspired imagination. Being included in this panoply of talent – most notably Roger’s established accomplishments in album covers, his visionary architectural designs and his acute eye for illustrative wizardry – was indeed a special event for me. That fortunate visit resulted in the first printed book of my work, Sentinel, a seminal proscenium that expanded my visibility worldwide. I shall be forever in Roger’s debt for that initial event. His unique vision is thoroughly furnished with rich visual wizardry, an impassioned depiction of magical worlds that mere words fail to describe. To tour through the pages of his remarkable career is to revel in the sheer joy of travelling down cosmic corridors of ebullient beauty, ethereal grandeur and fantastic invention. There is a master at work here. "
Richard Branson’s foreword in Views
"I first met Roger Dean in 1970, soon after starting Virgin Records. This was before the Virgin label was formed, so his early work, including label designs, was used in mail order ads on the back of Melody Maker and on items such as carrier bags for the Virgin shops.
Virgin started to release records in the summer of 1973 and this book was published two years later. Roger’s work was everywhere: on album covers, posters and record labels of albums that were selling millions of copies. Those images marked many a memorable moment for students at that time.
It’s difficult to imagine the impact of Roger’s work and of this book during the 1970s and onwards. We are all now used to seeing colour and the surreal as part of an accepted and understood part of today’s visual language, but this was not always the case. It was a very real departure in publishing when Views became the first of a series of books that made popular imagery available at a price affordable to anyone who could afford to buy an album."
Quote by George Lucas
"The artwork of Roger Dean has always amazed me – it spans the spectrum from mind-blowing to mind mellowing."
