The Ash Staff - Don Maitz

This delightful painting was published as the cover of The Ash Staff, #4 in the young adult fantasy series MagicQuest (author Paul R. Fisher). Additional photos show that the painting, 20"x30" acrylic and oil on masonite, is contained in the Artist built frame; and another photo of the back side artists inscription.
Storyline: Mole is an orphan, one of a small band cared for by the old man Rhawn. The land of Pesten where they live is becoming darker and colder, and with the darkness come other creatures, dragons and wolfmen who ravage the land. When Rhawn dies, Mole becomes a leader before his time, as he and the orphans are entrusted with a dangerous quest: to destroy the sorcerer Ammar and prevent him from sending the world into an everlasting winter.