Brush with Nature

A painter and illustrator, adventurer, best-selling children's author, world traveller, 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. 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.

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