The AT-AT Driver is inspired by my desire to illustrate some of the supporting Star Wars characters that may not get as much attention as the main characters do.

Talking with fans and members of the various costuming groups (such as the 501st Legion) I started to think about the efforts these fans put forth to express their love of Star Wars and the various characters and armors they build.

I've always respected, not only the amount of time and craftsmanship that they put into creating their costumes, but also that these fans then make countless appearances at various hospitals and charity events to bring smiles to children. The dedication to Star Wars and willingness to help others has always been inspiring to me.

With this in mind, I decided I wanted to do a series of paintings to pay tribute to those die hard fans and the characters they love. AT-AT Driver is the first piece in this series paying homage to the not only the design of the Star Wars universe but to the fans who bring it to life for so many others to enjoy.

- Lee Kohse