Brian Lee Durfee
{{Short description|American painter and writer}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Infobox writer
| name = Brian Lee Durfee
| image = File:Brian Lee Durfee at Phoenix Comic Fest Drinks with Creators (cropped).jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = At Phoenix Comic Fest (2018).
| pseudonym = Brian D. Lee
| birth_name =
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| resting_place =
| occupation = {{unbulleted list|Artist|Writer}}
| language = English
| nationality = American
| education =
| alma_mater = Brigham Young University
| genre = {{unbulleted list|Fantasy|Grimdark|Horror}}
| notableworks = {{unbulleted list|The Forgetting Moon (novel)|"Grand Canyon Cliffs–Peregrine Falcons" (painting)}}
| awards = {{unbulleted list|Illustrators of the Future (1992)|Grand Canyon Purchase Award (1999)}}
| years_active = 1994–current
| website = {{URL|brianleedurfee.weebly.com}}
}}
Brian Lee Durfee is an American wildlife, landscape, and fantasy painter, and a fantasy and horror writer. His paintings have appeared in various genre and other magazines, games, and books. One of his wildlife paintings is in the permanent collection at the Grand Canyon National Park visitors center.
Saga Press published his epic grimdark fantasy series, beginning with The Forgetting Moon. He also has a horror alternate history series.
Biography
Durfee grew up in Fairbanks, Alaska and Monroe, Utah. He played high school football, then served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Connecticut, though he is no longer a practicing member of that church. He graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in illustration and fine arts.
In 1992, he won second place in the second quarter Illustrators of the Future contest and was chosen to illustrate "The Monitor" by John Richard DeRose and "Lady's Portrait, Executed in Archaic Colors" by Charles M. Saplak in Writers of the Future, Volume IX. He was a member of the Society of Illustrators in New York. Durfee cites works by Robert Jordan, Stephen King, George R. R. Martin, Larry McMurtry, Mötley Crüe, the Oakland Raiders, and Tad Williams as being influential on his life and his works.
His oil painting, "Grand Canyon Cliffs–Peregrine Falcons", won the 1999 Bird Award of Merit and the Grand Canyon National Park Association Purchase Award. One of his paintings is in the permanent collection at the Kolb Gallery at the visitors center at Grand Canyon National Park. He was the artist guest of honor at CONduit 10 in 2000.
Durfee works as a prison guard at the Utah State Prison, where he has worked in the mental health unit, the gang unit, processing new inmates, and overseeing the six libraries within the prison. He initially got the job because he wanted to be a police officer, but then decided to stay in that job. He worked with author James Dashner to put on a convention for the inmates at the prison, and he has taught creative writing classes to some of the inmates.
Bibliography
=''The Five Warrior Angels''=
An epic grimdark fantasy series.
- The Forgetting Moon (August 2016, Saga Press, {{isbn|978-1-4814-6522-9}})
- The Blackest Heart (February 2019, Saga Press, {{isbn|978-1-4814-6525-0}})
- The Lonesome Crown (November 2022, Saga Press, {{isbn|978-1-4814-6528-1}})
=South Severe=
=As artist=
==Cover art==
- The Leading Edge edited by Alex Grover (issue 32, February 1996, Brigham Young University)
- Adventures of Sword and Sorcery, Spring 1996 issue edited by Randy Dannenfelser
- Adventures of Sword and Sorcery, Issue 3, 1996 edited by Randy Dannenfelser
- Pirate Writings edited by Edward J. McFadden (issue 14, 1997)
- Dragon Magazine (issue 239, September 1997)
==Interior art==
- "The Froglover" in Tomorrow Speculative Fiction edited by Algis Budrys (February 1994)
- "Planned Obsolescence" in Tomorrow Speculative Fiction edited by Algis Budrys (April 1994)
- "Character Creation" in Spectrum III: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art (as Brian Durfee) (1996, Underwood Books, {{isbn|1-887424-10-5}})
==Collectible card games==
Durfee illustrated several cards for Magic: The Gathering collectible card game, including four mountain cards, "Blossoming Wreath", and "Sylvan Hierophant". He also illustrated three cards for the Middle-earth Collectible Card Game: "Black Númenóreans", "Returned Exiles", and "Hey, come merry dol!".
==Wildlife and landscape works==
Awards and honors
| class="wikitable" style="width:95%;" cellpadding="5" |
| scope="col" style="width:30px;"| Year
! scope="col" style="width:120px;"| Organization ! scope="col" style="width:150px;"| Award title, ! scope="col" style="width:150px;"| Work ! scope="col" style="width:10px;"| Result ! scope="col" style="width:10px;"| Refs |
|---|
| 1992
| Illustrators of the Future, | – | {{won|place=2}} |
| 1998
| Sevier County Commissioners' Art Show | "The Bear" | {{won|place=1}} |
| 1999
| Arts for the Parks | Bird Award of Merit, and | "Grand Canyon Cliffs–Peregrine Falcons" | {{won}} |
References
{{reflist|30em|refs=
|url=http://www.artofmtg.com/art/mountain-portal/
|title=Mountain (Portal) MtG Art from Portal by Brian Durfee
|access-date=February 24, 2021
|publisher=Art of Magic: The Gathering
|archive-date=February 24, 2021
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224185640/http://www.artofmtg.com/art/mountain-portal/
|url-status=live
}}
|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYVzENeFpdM
|title=My first novels, a self critique / South Severe & Bedlam Blues / Should I Self Publish? U Decide!
|publisher=YouTube
|first=Brian Lee
|last=Durfee
|date=February 16, 2021
|access-date=February 24, 2021
|url-status=live
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224203031/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYVzENeFpdM |archive-date=February 24, 2021 }}
|title=CONduit 16: Wizards of CONduit Program Book
|date=May 26, 2006
|publisher=CONduit Planning Committee
|location=Salt Lake City, Utah
|page=49
}}
|url=http://fantasy-faction.com/2020/brian-lee-durfee-interview-prison-comic-con
|title=Brian Lee Durfee Interview – Prison Comic-Con
|date=April 6, 2020
|access-date=February 24, 2021
|publisher=Fantasy Faction
|archive-date=November 17, 2020
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201117100704/http://fantasy-faction.com/2020/brian-lee-durfee-interview-prison-comic-con
|url-status=live
}}
|url=http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?258748
|title=Publication: Dragon Magazine, #239, September 1997
|website=isfdb.org
|date=July 8, 2018
|access-date=April 27, 2020
|publisher=Internet Speculative Fiction Database
|archive-date=April 27, 2020
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200427223339/http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?258748
|url-status=live
}}
|url=http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?347408
|title=Publication: The Leading Edge, February 1996
|website=isfdb.org
|date=May 27, 2019
|access-date=April 27, 2020
|publisher=Internet Speculative Fiction Database
|archive-date=April 27, 2020
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200427222047/http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?347408
|url-status=live
}}
|url=http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?59970
|title=Publication: Pirate Writings, #14 1997
|website=isfdb.org
|date=June 2, 2016
|access-date=April 27, 2020
|publisher=Internet Speculative Fiction Database
|archive-date=April 27, 2020
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200427222814/http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?59970
|url-status=live
}}
|url=http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?56080
|title=Publication: Adventures of Sword and Sorcery, #3, 1996
|website=isfdb.org
|date=November 12, 2017
|access-date=April 27, 2020
|publisher=Internet Speculative Fiction Database
|archive-date=April 27, 2020
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200427222441/http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?56080
|url-status=live
}}
|url=http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?56081
|title=Publication: Adventures of Sword and Sorcery, Spring, 1996
|website=isfdb.org
|date=April 4, 2013
|access-date=April 27, 2020
|publisher=Internet Speculative Fiction Database
|archive-date=April 27, 2020
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200427221109/http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?56081
|url-status=live
}}
|url=http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?31601
|title=Publication: Spectrum III: The Best in Contemporary Fantastic Art
|website=isfdb.org
|date=March 13, 2014
|access-date=April 27, 2020
|publisher=Internet Speculative Fiction Database
|archive-date=April 27, 2020
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200427221540/http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?31601
|url-status=live
}}
|url=http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?61776
|title=Publication: Tomorrow Speculative Fiction, April 1994
|website=isfdb.org
|date=September 6, 2014
|access-date=April 27, 2020
|publisher=Internet Speculative Fiction Database
|archive-date=March 19, 2017
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170319053043/http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?61776
|url-status=live
}}
|url=http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?61786
|title=Publication: Tomorrow Speculative Fiction, February 1994
|website=isfdb.org
|date=October 20, 2016
|access-date=April 27, 2020
|publisher=Internet Speculative Fiction Database
|archive-date=April 27, 2020
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200427224007/http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?61786
|url-status=live
}}
|url=http://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?19761
|title=Publication: L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future, Volume IX
|website=isfdb.org
|access-date=February 24, 2021
|publisher=Internet Speculative Fiction Database
}}
|url=https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=4508
|title=Blossoming Wreath
|access-date=February 24, 2021
|publisher=Wizards of the Coast
|archive-date=November 5, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105033015/http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=4508 |url-status=live
}}
|url=https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=4417
|title=Mountain
|access-date=February 24, 2021
|publisher=Wizards of the Coast
|archive-date=June 29, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090629085344/http://gatherer.wizards.com:80/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=4417 |url-status=dead
}}
|url=https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=4418
|title=Mountain
|access-date=February 24, 2021
|publisher=Wizards of the Coast
|archive-date=June 29, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090629085349/http://gatherer.wizards.com:80/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=4418 |url-status=dead
}}
|url=https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=4419
|title=Mountain
|access-date=February 24, 2021
|publisher=Wizards of the Coast
|archive-date=June 29, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090629085354/http://gatherer.wizards.com:80/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=4419 |url-status=live
}}
|url=https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=4420
|title=Mountain
|access-date=February 24, 2021
|publisher=Wizards of the Coast
|archive-date=June 29, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090629085359/http://gatherer.wizards.com:80/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=4420 |url-status=live
}}
|url=https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=4529
|title=Sylvan Hierophant
|access-date=February 24, 2021
|publisher=Wizards of the Coast
|archive-date=June 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170602043439/http://gatherer.wizards.com:80/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=4529 |url-status=live
}}
|title=Utah writers honored at ceremonies
|date=October 13, 1993
|newspaper=Orem-Geneva Times
|page=1
}}
|url=https://www.raymondbolton.com/the-write-stuff-monday-november-6-interview-with-brian-lee-durfee/
|title=The Write Stuff – Monday, November 6 – Interview With Brian Lee Durfee
|first=Raymond
|last=Bolton
|date=November 6, 2017
|access-date=April 27, 2020
|publisher=Raymond Bolton
|archive-date=October 25, 2018
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181025190036/https://www.raymondbolton.com/the-write-stuff-monday-november-6-interview-with-brian-lee-durfee/
|url-status=live
}}
|title=South Sevier Rolls, Beats North Sanpete 21-0
|first=Daryl
|last=Friant
|date=September 18, 1985
|newspaper=The Richfield Reaper
|page=10
}}
|title=Durfee Honored In Hollywood For His Illustration Talent
|date=October 6, 1993
|newspaper=The Richfield Reaper
|page=1
}}
|title=Monroe Artist Wins Top Honors
|date=May 6, 1988
|newspaper=The Richfield Reaper
|page=1
}}
|title=Winners from Utah
|date=October 24, 1999
|newspaper=The Salt Lake Tribune
|page=7
}}
|title=CONduit 10
|date=May 19, 2000
|newspaper=The Salt Lake Tribune
|page=5
}}
|title=Utah Valley Artists
|first=Betsy
|last=Baird
|date=March 19, 1997
|newspaper=The Springville Herald
|page=4
}}
}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Durfee, Brian Lee}}
Category:20th-century American artists
Category:21st-century American novelists
Category:21st-century male writers
Category:American fantasy writers
Category:American horror writers
Category:Brigham Young University alumni
Category:Writers from Fairbanks, Alaska