of America, as Ansel Adams called them.^
CD: I am outdoors often, there's a lot of outdoor
activities here. Because of the age of the
mountain range, I live at about 3,000 feet in
elevation, and the highest peak near me is about
6,500 feet. Not so high compared to the truly
high places in the world, but beautiful and full of
history nonetheless.
DAL: Impressive. Some of your work reminds
me of the sort of European late surrealist art
that one found on posters in the early 1980s,
back when many shops had racks of large
printed wall-posters for sale. Tell us about your
interest in that type of art, please. How did your
interest in it develop, and which artists are your
favourite influences?
CD: I think I have a good sense of irony and
humour that shows in some of my work, and I
enjoy that in the work of other artists. Art that
involves one or both speaks to me. I appreciate
an unusual view of the world, a thoughtful take
on people and ideas.
I'm also inspired by artwork that accomplishes
this goal through medium and technique. I like
loose, expressionist paintings. I love seeing the
image through the filter of brushstroke, texture,
and colour.
Surrealism had a huge impact on me as a child:
Magritte, Dali — these artists told stories, they
distilled huge concepts into fantastical images
with fine, realistic brushwork. I can't remember
where it was, but I went on a school trip to a
museum and I saw an original work from Dali. I
got as close as I could, and the fineness and
precision of his brushwork was remarkable to
me. That duality, a near hyper-realistic
technique used to convey an impossible scene,
that stuck with me, and is what I strive for in my
own work. There are many modern artists
working in this same vein today, both in digital
and traditional mediums, and I find it all
inspirational and exciting.
DAL: And the videogame Myst and its sequels
seem to me to have had an influence on your
work? Can you tell us about your experience
with the game(s) and how that might have
encouraged you toward making 3D art?
CD: I have loved videogames for just about as
long as they've been around. I started out with
text based games and as graphics technology
improved I grabbed whatever adventures I could
get my hands on. Zork, Oregon Trail, Wizardry,
Ultima, Wolfenstein, Pirates... then came the
first person 3D games, like DOOM. I played a lot
of console games, but PC games were always
my first love.
When Myst came out in 1993, I was in my 20s,
working in graphic design and making art with
Corel Painter and Photoshop. I got Myst as a gift
for Christmas. From the moment the program
started, I was in love. Everything about that
game spoke to me — the story, the visuals, the
sense of being free and alone, the puzzles. The
theme music for the Cyan splash-screen still
gives me goosebumps. I knew then that I
wanted to move to making environments a part
of my own artwork. Myst was hugely influential,
and I feel a very personal connection with all the
Myst games. I imagine a lot of people do. They
were deeply immersive, mature, and
breathtakingly beautiful.DAL: And then, Bryce?
CD: I think it was a couple of years after that
when Bryce 1.0 came out. I bought a copy and
knew I had found my medium. I worked with
Bryce for a few years and in the early 2000s I
found online communities for displaying and
sharing 3D images; places like 3D Commune,
where I was able to learn from other artists and
share resources.
DAL: And then you moved to Vue? How long did
you stay with Bryce?CD: I worked in Bryce until about 2005, when I
switched to Vue. Vue had some powerful tools,
including ecosystems and a complex material
builder, that I was eager to play with.
DAL: And you were a fan of the game Monkey
Island, which was around at the same time as
Myst? Did you play the hi-res remake /
makeover they gave Monkey Island about five
years ago?
CD: I haven't played that. I don't always want
to play re-mastered versions of my old
favourites. I love them the way they were. You
know the saying, “Never meet your heroes?” I
have such fond memories of these games I
always hesitate to play modern remakes. I
remember the story, I remember the
experience, and it was perfect.
DAL: Have you done any commissioned work for
that sort of point n’ click puzzle game? Elements
of your style would be a natural fit with that, I’d
say.CD: I have had a few people approach me for