In this conversation, we talk with Don Davis, an artist and illustrator who has spent his career helping us imagine the wonders of space. His work with NASA, Carl Sagan, and the U. S. Geological Survey's branch of Astrogeologic Studies has been seen by millions and helps us bridge the gap between imagination and reality.
In this conversation, we talk about Don's childhood fascination with space, the influence of science fiction on his work, and how the ideas around space colonization evolved.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction
02:09 Reflecting on historical parallels between Apollo 11.
05:52 Fascination with space exploration during childhood.
08:14 Joining the USGS
12:04 Moon Paintings
15:41 Meeting Carl Sagan
19:35 Relationship between knowledge and art
22:36 Dinosaur reconstruction
28:49 Mars visions and von Braun
31:39 Painting Space Settlements
37:04 Future of rocketry
42:33 2001: A Space Odyssey
44:24 Willie Lay and,"Engineer's Dreams"
52:23 What's next for Don
52:51 Quote from "Shape of Things to Come"
Links
Thanks for listening to this episode of the Build the Future Podcast. This is a project by World's Fair Co. You can learn more at worldsfair.org.
