Awards, Publications, Exhibits

2020

Lucien Rudaux Memorial Award

Presented by the International Association of Astronomical Artists for Lifetime Achievement in Astronomical Art — the field’s highest honor, recognizing a career that fundamentally shaped how humanity has envisioned its journey into space.

Awards & Honors

—Lucien Rudaux Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement in Astronomical Art 2020
—NASA Exceptional Service Medal 1975
—Smithsonian Institution Certificate of Award — exceptional services rendered in performance of duty November 1, 1976
—National Academy of Design — Certificate of Merit for Along the Path, Annual Exhibition February 21, 1975
—Society of Illustrators — Citation for Merit, Annual National Exhibition; Illustrator: Paul Calle; Art Director: James Dean, NASA 1961
—Art Directors Club — Merit Award, 57th Annual Exhibition; Art Director: James Dean / National Air & Space Museum / Miho Inc. 1978
—Art Directors Club — Merit Award, 59th Annual Exhibition; Dendritic Flow; Art Director: James Dean / National Air and Space Museum 1980
—Communication Arts Magazine — Award of Excellence (CA-72, 13th Annual); Illustration; Art Director: James Dean, NASA 1972
—Communication Arts Magazine — Award of Excellence (CA-77, 18th Annual); Poster Series; Art Director: James Dean / Miho, design firm / National Air and Space Museum 1977
—American Institute of Graphic Arts — Certificate of Excellence, Communication Graphics 1976/77; posters: Friend or Foe?, Pioneers of Flight, Space Art from the USSR 1977
—Federal Editors Association — Blue Pencil Award, Outstanding Government Publications; Third Place, Popular Publication, Full-Color; Apollo 13: “Houston, We’ve Got a Problem”; Editors: James D. Dean and George Gardner, NASA 1970
—Venice Biennale (Biennale di Venezia) — Diploma di Partecipazione, X Mostra Internazionale del Film Documentario; film: Celestial Mechanics and the Lunar Probe; Directors: Donald M. Swartz, James D. Dean, Michael R. Lah; produced by the Office of the Secretary of Defense 1959
—San Francisco International Film Festival — Certificate of Acceptance, Film as Communication Competition; film: The Mastery of Space 1962
—Art League, Alexandria, VA — Van Landingham Award for Clifton Glass, Patron’s Show May 15, 1983
—Listed in Who’s Who in American Art, 1976 Edition
—American Austrian Society, Washington, DC
—Wall of Honor, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, National Air & Space Museum
—Designed three stamps for the U.S. Postal Service 1985–1987

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Books Authored or Illustrated

NASA/ART: 50 Years of Exploration

Harry N. Abrams, New York, 2008 — Dean’s comprehensive history of the NASA Art Program he founded

LIFTOFF: The Story of America’s Adventure in Space

Illustrated by Dean — text by Michael Collins — Grove Press, New York, 1988 and 1989

Eyewitness To Space

Co-authored by Dean — Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York, 1972

NASA 1958–1983: Remembered Images

Authored by Dean — Published by NASA, 1983

Journey Into Space

Essay in Paul Calle — An Artist’s Journey, Mill Pond Press, Venice, FL, 1993

Press & Publications

—James Dean, Who Put Artists to Work for NASA, Dies at 92 — The New York Times, April 15, 2024
—Va. Artist Puts Stamp on Christmas — The Washington Post, December 5, 1985
—The Duality of James Dean: Curator of Nation’s Space Art and a Painter of Nostalgia Art — Voices South, July/August 1979
—James Dean, Painter of the Past — Southern Living, June 1973
—James Dean — Artist Virginia Cardinal, September 1973
—James Dean, Painting the Spirit of the Past — American Artist, March 1971

Film, Television & Radio

—WETA Arts interview (video) — Dean discusses his work with artists in the early days of NASA July 2019
—Space Shuttle paintings featured on NBC-TV News November 12, 1981
—Space Shuttle paintings featured on ABC-TV News June 25, 1982 and June 22, 1984
—The Mastery of Space — selected for entry, San Francisco International Film Festival, Film as Communication Competition; co-directed by James D. Dean 1962
—Celestial Mechanics and the Lunar Probe — Diploma di Partecipazione, Venice Biennale (X Mostra Internazionale del Film Documentario); co-directed by James D. Dean; produced by the Office of the Secretary of Defense 1959

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Selected Exhibitions

—National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, The American Artist and Water Reclamation, March 25 - May 5, 1972.
—National Air & Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC NASA | Art: 50 Years of Exploration, 2011.
—National Air & Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC Space Shuttle Art, November 1, 1981 – January 3, 1982
—Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC. His work was selected for the 19th Area Exhibition from over 5,000 entries, October 1974.
—American Watercolor Society 107th Annual Exhibition, New York, NY.
—National Academy of Design, New York, NY. Received a Special Award at the 150th Annual for his watercolor "Along the Path" April-May 1975.
—Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, NASA | Art: 50 Years of Exploration, 2008-2012
—U.S. Information Agency Foreign Tour
—Foster Harmon Galleries of American Art, Sarasota, FL
—Maurice Sternberg Galleries, Chicago, IL
—Cosmos Club, Washington, DC. Solo exhibition of watercolors, including "Chincoteague Summer", April 1973.
—Franz Bader Gallery, Washington, DC
—George Washington University, Washington, DC
—Ligonier Valley Biennial Art Show — Invited Artist, Richard King Mellon School, Ligonier, PA — shown alongside 12 original oils by N.C. Wyeth July–August 1976

James D. Dean | Artist, NASA Art Program Founder, Smithsonian Curator

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