Art legend Roger Dean returns to The Chambers Project

Roger Dean is most well-known for creating the art for over 120 album covers, including many for the bands Yes and Asia, as well as the logos for Virgin Records and the Tetris video game. He is also the inventor of the bean bag and is one of the pioneers and source artists for the utopian futurist movement. Dean has been hailed as the “father of Imaginative Realism,” and it’s easy to see why, since his original paintings are well-known and have influenced pop culture; James Cameron took a lot of his designs for both Avatar films from Dean’s work, including the flying islands, dragons, and other elements.

Although he is most well-known for his paintings and album covers, Dean began by studying architecture, and earned his master’s degree in the psychology of the built environment because even as a young man growing up in the UK in the post-WWII era, he was fascinated by how the buildings in a place affected people. “The bleakness of the post war buildings in Europe after WWII was offensive to me; the rebuild did as much damage as the bombs,” Dean explained. “I wanted to learn why architecture had to be so boring.”

Dean’s work is anything BUT boring. His utopian architecture and landscape paintings have shown the world that anything is possible with imagination and will. He strives to inspire a better future for all by showing what can be accomplished by thinking outside of the big box mentality that dominates modern architecture. “I would like people to want better, demand better, not settle for less. We should want to build a better future for our kids and a much better future for our grandkids. As for the paintings, I guess that’s just me trying to attract people’s attention,” Dean said. “I think we’re going to get the future we work for, so we should all be working for a better brighter future. It’s possible, everything is solvable. People starving, scarcity, the environment, this is all fixable.”

Although he usually only has an opening for each show, Brian Chambers, owner of The Chambers Project, wanted to give our community one more chance to meet the legendary man and offer a laid-back event where people can hear what Dean has to say and interact with him in a more direct way. “I want people to have the opportunity to pick Roger’s brain and hear his story. People have their own ideas about what his images mean, but I want them to hear what it means to Roger,” Chambers said. “I’m excited and honored that he’s coming back for this event.”

Dean, too, is excited to give a talk about his art and architecture, as well as answer people’s questions about his work. He encourages anyone who attends to bring their album covers or art books for him to sign when he’s there, as well, since one of the comments he often gets at such events is that people wished they had brought those items for him to autograph. “I’m feeling very pleased and honored that I met Brian and his friends; they are a fantastic group of people. It makes a fabulous difference that Brian loves the work, it makes doing business so much more pleasurable,” Dean added.

The Secret Path closing event takes place Saturday, February 4, from 2-6 p.m. at the Chambers Project Gallery, located at 627 E. Main St. in Grass Valley. To learn more about The Chambers Project and upcoming shows, visit thechambersproject.com.

KNOW & GO WHAT: The Chambers Project presents The Secret Path Closing Event WHERE: The Chambers Project Gallery, 627 E. Main St., Grass Valley WHEN: 2-6 p.m., February 4 MORE INFO: Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/508240108847. For more information about this event and others at the gallery, visit thechambersproject.com. {related_content_uuid}ab61cb4b-0047-4156-b36d-d0ab80e6ceab{/related_content_uuid}