Author(s): Hunt Slonem

THE ARTS

Influenced by the exotic, lush landscapes of his childhood and youth in Hawaii and Nicaragua, Hunt Slonem paints richly colored, impressionistic visions that are celebrated worldwide--and particularly sought-after are his paintings of birds. Now for the first time, Slonem's bird paintings are collected into a single volume, published in a lavish hardcover edition, as a follow-up to the exquisite Bunnies. In Birds, the Louisiana-born artist pays homage to these remarkable creatures through hundreds of engaging works. Dramatic and vivid, Slonem's avian subjects seem unconfined to a flat surface, as the paintings brim with texture and movement. At the same time, the painter's unique "cross-hatching" technique unmistakably evokes the bars of a birdcage. The compelling nature of these paintings lies in the tension between the birds' ability to soar and their often captive state (though Slonem's own birds are often spotted flying around his studio). Sure to please bird-lovers and fine-art aficionados alike, this is an impressively luxe hardcover volume that features metallic ink and silver-gilded edges, a ribbon marker, and an acetate jacket.