The stunning artwork of Peter Pracownik is known and loved by millions, he is the creator of two of the most popular tarot decks (the Dragon Tarot and Lord of the Rings), but is probably most famous for his stunning dragons. His pictures has been licensed all over the world and can be found adorning a huge range of products from posters and postcards to cigarette lighters and pocket knifes.

But he is far more than a commercial phenomenon, Peter is recognised as a leading light in the world of New Age/Fantasy art and his work has been exhibited all around the globe to much acclaim, including a one man show at the MGM studios in Hollywood. His artwork has also been used on album covers (Peter is also a musician and audiophile, with a vast collection of vinyl albums) to award winning effect.

For those of you who have never seen Peter's work (or more likely have seen it but never known who it was by), here is a taster of what you have been missing. The images shown on this page have been taken, with permission, from Peter's own site (to see more stunning dragon pictures visit www.peterpracownik.com).

Trying to give a representative view of Peter's work in such a small space is simply impossible, he is both prolific and diverse in the subjects he chooses to cover, yet somehow he manages to imbue each piece with its own unique magic. The first image is the Temperance Dragons (above left), they sit, diligently emptying goblets in to a moonlit pool. To me this picture has a certain elusive charm about it, some special quality that permeates through so much of Peter's work.

In our second example the majestic Earth Dragon (right) wraps itself in a protective coil around our Mother Earth. This particular image also featured on a special Millennium coin. As you look upon Peter's dragons you always sense that they exist as protectors, guardians or guides, they never appear menacing or sinister.

Yet, as I said earlier, dragons represent just one aspect of the diverse range of subjects covered by Peter's work, a quick look at his website shows categories from extra-terrestrial encounters to fairy tales. Literature is another source, with works inspired by Tolkien's Lord of the Rings and Lewis Caroll's Alice in Wonderland.

But it is Peter's huge knowledge of myth and legend that provides the basis for so much of his output. The Arthurian legend (see left), Celtic tradition and sacred imagery from around the globe are blended to truly magical effect. Stonehenge, Glastonbury (where Peter lived for some time), Nostradamus, Wizards and Unicorns have all added to the extraordinary spectrum.

Well that just about wraps up this whirlwind tour of Peter's work. As you might have gathered, this article has only scratched the surface, but if you would like to see more of these incredible pictures or find out about the man himself, then don't forget to check out his website - it's well worth a visit. And keep yours eyes open when your out and about, you never know when you might come face to face with one of Peter's creations.

Before a sign off, I would like to leave you with one final thought - Art is an intensely personal thing, and in a world where art can, apparently, take the form of a pile of bricks or an unmade bed, we all have to find our own definition of it. For me, I like to believe the purpose of art is to take the audience to places beyond the realm of their experience, to delight and arouse their senses and to stimulate the imagination - by that definition alone Peter Pracownik is a true Master.

To find out more about Peter and his work you can visit his website www.peterpracownik.com