Image credit: Ron Spears

Ron Spears, an iconic Magic: The Gathering artist responsible for many of the game's most memorable pieces of artwork, has passed away at the age of 66. According to his agent, Mark Aronowitz, Spears had been contending with a brain tumor for the past few months. He passed away on Monday, according to Aronowitz, on Wednesday, June 24th, via Facebook post.

Ron Spears' Life and Legacy

Many people in the fantasy art world celebrated Ron Spears as a force of "generosity and mentorship", according to Illustration History. "Born in Tacoma, Washington, in 1960, Ron Spears graduated with a B.A. from the University of Puget Sound in 1988, and earned his M.F.A. in illustration from the University of Hartford in Connecticut in 2009," that article goes on to say. In addition to illustrating for Wizards, Spears also worked as an artist for Upper Deck and Blizzard, among others. Spears and his family resided in Reno, NV, where he taught art and design at Southern Utah University.

Ron Spears' Impact on Magic

Some of Ron Spears' greatest pieces of fantasy artwork were his Magic: The Gathering pieces. The cards you might find Spears' artistic touch include the following:

As you can see, the body of Spears' work was not one to undersell. His portfolio showcases some of the most iconic, most impactful cards in the game through the art he provided to Wizards of the Coast.

Conclusion

Ron will be greatly missed. We send our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends at this time.

We'd like to offer you the floor, dear readers. What are some of your favorite pieces of art by this wonderful artist? Let us know in the comments below.