New website preserves the legacy of Colin Cantwell, the first Star Wars ship designer

A newly-revamped website has launched, dedicated to preserving the legacy of Colin Cantwell, the legendary concept artist known for his work as the first designer of many of the most iconic shops in the Star Wars galaxy, including the X-Wing Fighter, TIE Fighter, Death Star, and Imperial Star Destroyer.

Announced by Brad Cook and Sierra Dall, Colin Cantwell’s long-term partner, the website will present a deep dive into Colin’s life and career over the coming months, with the first two blog posts introducing his Star Wars work and the creation of the first version of the Millennium Falcon. 

Future posts will explain how one of Colin’s Star Destroyer concept
paintings became the basis for the Cantwell-class Arrestor Cruiser, seen briefly in Solo: A Star Wars Story before playing a prominent role in the first season of the Disney+ series Star Wars: Andor.

Outside of Star Wars, the site will also cover Colin’s involvement with the Apollo 11 moon landing during his time working for NASA in the 1960s, as well as his work on Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey

In addition, the new website features the first official online shop dedicated to selling autographed and non-autographed prints of Colin’s work on Star Wars, including pre-production paintings and photos of the models he built. The autographed prints are the last ones available, given Colin’s passing on May 21, 2022.

Future plans also include a partnership with TSJ Foundation, a non-profit organization whose goal is to inspire minds, uplift spirits, and create lasting memories with their unique approach of promoting the learning of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM) using immersive and interactive themed experiences.

“It pleases me to turn Colin’s legacy over to Brad Cook, who is
doing a wonderful job of redesigning and managing the new website, as well as Eric Jacobs of TSJ Foundation, who is bringing Colin’s work to life at live events,” states Sierra Dall, who was Colin’s partner for the last 24 years of his life.

 

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