Brush with Nature - by Alex Beard (Hardcover)

About the Book

New Orleans-based painter and admired children's author Alex Beard is the creator of a unique style of painting called "Abstract Naturalism," which combines abstract expressionism with naturalist environmental art. Included in this lavishly produced collection are works he's made over the past twenty-five years.

Book Synopsis

An arresting collection of diverse painted works and ink-on-paper drawings appear in the first monograph of esteemed wildlife artist Alex Beard. He is best known for his elaborate wildlife compositions, created in his signature style of gestural painting, which he has coined "Abstract Naturalism."

Review Quotes

"...a rich and complex work that explores themes of cultural and environmental connectivity in which abstraction and figuration collide."--Broadway World

...a record of 25 years of painting by the artist who has chosen New Orleans as his adopted home. Beard describes how he came to his distinctive style of painting, and New Yorker writer Paumgarten's essay gives us a glimpse into Beard's remarkable life as he traveled the world, fell in love with Africa, devoted himself to art and conservation, and made a personal and professional life in New Orleans.--Susan Larson "The New Orleans Advocate, December 10, 2016 "

His career as artist, conservationist and author takes another leap forward this month with the release of his first monograph, A Brush With Nature, produced by Glitterati. "The art in the book comes from musings on the interconnectedness in nature," says Beard, who is married to Amy, a history teacher, and father of Landry, 11, and Camille, 6. "There's also an underlying conservation message: We are of the generation that will either be responsible for the end of the whole shooting match or be responsible for how to rejigger the equilibrium, so that we can continue to perpetuate."--James Servin "Modern Luxury "

"Themes of cultural and environmental interconnectivity are explored within a gorgeous collection of paintings inspired by wildlife, travel, and natural patterns inside A Brush with Nature: Abstract Naturalism and the Painting of Life."--Michele Ranard "Hello Lovely Studio "

About the Author

A painter and illustrator, adventurer, best-selling children's author, world traveler, animal conservationist and filmmaker, Alex Beard has emerged as one of his generation's most creative, prolific and accomplished artists. Born in New York City in 1970, Alex was encouraged to think creatively from a young age by his uncle, Peter Beard, the acclaimed wildlife photographer and conservationist, and his mother, Patricia Beard, an accomplished author and magazine editor. An impassioned conservationist and philanthropist, in 2012 Alex established The Watering Hole Foundation, a public charity engaged in saving endangered wildlife and preserving their environments. His documentary, Drawing the Line, fused his artistic talent with his dedication to preservation, chronicling the plight of the endangered wild African elephant, as seen through the eyes of a conservationist artist. Alex has had several solo exhibitions in New York, Los Angeles, and as far afield as Hong Kong. His drawings and paintings are scattered around the world in public and private collections. His open studio in New Orleans is a destination for visitors to the city.Nick Paumgarten is a staff writer for The New Yorker. From 2000 to 2005, he was a deputy editor of "The Talk of the Town," to which he regularly contributes. Before coming to the magazine, he was a reporter and senior editor at the New York Observer. He lives in New York, New York.