Shattered Dreams Cover Art for the International Space Development Conference Program Book

May 27, 2010

The digital art of Schaumburg IL artist Jim Plaxco is featured as the cover art for the International Space Development Conference being held in Chicago May 27 thru May 31. The artwork, titled Shattered Dreams, features a fragmented astronaut with the image of the Moon in place of the astronaut's visor. The description of the art as submitted for the program book was:

Cover of The International Space Development Conference Program Book
Shattered Dreams - a digital painting by Jim Plaxco, www.artsnova.com
Shattered Dreams is a personal commentary on the recent political decision to abandon the Constellation program and the planned return to the Moon.
The Moon remains, awaiting our return - but when will that return be?

“Unfortunately there were some who objected to including a statement that was critical of the new space policy and it was omitted in the final version. The inspiration for the image was a debate that I was engaged in about President Obama's decision to kill both the Constellation program and our planned return to the Moon. I view this component of his space policy as a major setback. The NASA Administrator is going to be at the conference, as is Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin and I hope to ask each of them their opinion on the art and its meaning.”

In addition to NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, other prominent attendees include scientist and author Freeman Dyson, Apollo 9 astronaut and B612 Foundation Chairman Rusty Schweickart, Virgin Galactic CEO George Whitesides, and Mars Society President Robert Zubrin.

For further information and/or interviews, contact Jim Plaxco.