David Alan Cherry (born December 14, 1949) is an American artist, author, and illustrator of science fiction and fantasy and has also done substantial work as a marketing artist, concept artist, and 3D modeler in the game production industry. Cherry served as Lecturer and Head of the Art Department as well as Head of the master's degree Program for artists at The Guildhall at SMU (Southern Methodist University), a graduate college dedicated to studies for people who want to work in the game production industry. Cherry was also an attorney, as well as a past president of the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists (1988–1990). and 18 times for Chesley Awards (with 8 wins).
Although at ease with oil painting and most other traditional media, Cherry usually works in acrylic paint. As an illustrator of literary works, Cherry has illustrated or done cover art for the works of such authors as Stephen R. Donaldson, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Lois McMaster Bujold, Terry Brooks, William Shatner, David Brin, L. Sprague de Camp, Poul Anderson, Piers Anthony, John Brunner, and his sister, C. J. Cherryh, among others. Publishers for whom Cherry has worked include DAW Books; New American Library; Ballantine Books; Del Rey Books; Ace Books; TOR Books; Friedlander Publishing Group; Pocket Books; Phantasia Press; Donald M. Grant Publishing; The Hamilton Collection; Skybox Press; The Science Fiction Book Club; Bits and Pieces; Precedence Publishing; Pegasus Publishing; Iron Crown Enterprises; The Bradford Exchange; The Donning Company Publishers; and many others. Instead, he majored in Latin and took as many courses as possible in Greek, French, German, and Ancient History. There he met many writers, editors, and publishers as well as a number of the artists who were doing paintings for science fiction and fantasy book covers. Michael Whelan, in particular, stood out. Cherry already knew who he was since Michael had done the art for C.J.’s book covers as well as the art for the cover of the Marion Zimmer Bradley book Cherry happened to be reading at the time. The original painting was on display in an art show at the convention, and Cherry was able to buy it at auction. The Chesley Awards are presented annually by ASFA, The Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists to honor excellence in the field. In the years to come, Cherry would be nominated for sixteen more Chesley Awards, six of which he would win. Cherry would win virtually every other award available for his art except the Hugo Award for Best Artist. He would be nominated for that award 10 times.
Another important landmark in Cherry's career occurred in 1987. The Donning Company Publishers brought out a book of 40 of Cherry's paintings along with a treatise written by Cherry providing step by step instruction on his painting technique at that time. The book was entitled Imagination: The Art and Technique of David A. Cherry.
- 1995 Invitational Speaker at the Smithsonian Institution
- 1995 Judge for the 1994 Spectrum Annual
- 1993 Chesley Award for 1992 Best Cover Illustration – Paperback Book (The Bladeswoman) – cover of Sword and Sorceress IX by Marion Zimmer Bradley (DAW Books)