The recently released hardcover book from author Natasha Kuzmanovic, Tropical Light: The Art of A. E. Backus, provides a comprehensive case study into the life & work of Florida's most iconic landscape painter. A lifetime (1906-1990) spent in Ft. Pierce, FL, located along the state's Eastern shoreline, inspired the real & raw imagery of Backus' paintings, indicative of the surrounding area. His compositions, true testaments of both coastal and inland scenes of Old Florida everyday life, are easily identifiable due to a signature style developed through the use of a palette knife rather than a brush. This technique allowed Backus control in applying the paint and enforced his desire to accurately depict the fluctuating relationship between the elements & the earth. Additional chapters in the book offer a detailed discussion into the revered artists that Backus credits as influences, including Claude Monet and Winslow Homer, and identifying key patrons that supported Backus throughout his career. The icing on the cake is the extensive collection of work that Kuzmanovic has included throughout the book and we as readers receive the great pleasure of viewing, underscoring the prolific artisan life led by this American master. A sampling of A.E. Backus' paintings included.....
*I have The Vendome Press to thank for extending me a copy to preview.
