Rodney Matthews is an internationally acclaimed illustrator and conceptual designer of fantasy and science fiction. Born in 1945, in Paulton, England, his distinctive style gained prominence in the 1970s with his poster art which sold in millions worldwide. His rich vision, characterised by lavish landscapes, ethereal cities, strange creatures and mammoth machinery, became the face of both the music and literature of the era. He has illustrated over 140 album covers for influential rock bands, such as Thin Lizzy, Asia and Rick Wakeman, while also becoming a favourite in the genre of speculative fiction, notably with science fiction and fantasy writer, Michael Moorcock.
In a career that has spanned decades, Matthews has also made his mark in the video game industry, working alongside the likes of Traveller’s Tales and Sony Psygnosis, as well as in animation, being given free rein to create and design the children’s TV series ‘Lavender Castle’ for Gerry Anderson. These days he works mainly on his own intellectual properties, which includes a sequel to his multi-award-winning animation, Yendor – The Journey of a Junior Adventurer, and further tales of Oddney’s Otherland. Matthews is also a talented musician and is recording his next album.