I really don't think the world could get by without TSR. I like to think that Wizards of the Coast understood this when they saved "The Fantasy Factory" from sinking. Now we have a slick new version of Dragon magazine backed by the considerable artistic muscle of WOTC.

But whatever acheivements the new gaurd acomplishes they will always look back to the likes of Elmore, Easly, and Caldwell.
What I like about Caldwell's style in particular is the way he uses vibrant colors and mixes up his compositions while still maintaining a perfect sense of reality.