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Robert Bateman was born in Toronto, Canada in 1930. With a vivid imagination influenced by a multitude of art periods and styles combined with a deep understanding of the natural world, Bateman's artistic statements are strong and stunning. Bateman's world travel and exposure, plus intensive study in the two fields, culminate in paintings that satisfy his inner quest for truth in the worlds of art and nature. Educated at the University of Toronto with a degree in geography, Bateman has strong personal ties to the principles of ecology and preservation. By combining his vocations as an accomplished artist and well-trained naturalist, Bateman has become one of the world's greatest artists depicting the natural world.
As a youth, Bateman's passions were nature and art. With early influences by such greats a naturalist-artist Roger Tory Peterson and wildlife artist Terence Shortt, Bateman painted wildlife and wilderness in a representational style until his late teens when he began to interpret nature using a variety of styles, including post-impressionism, abstract expressionism, and other contemporary genres.
In the early 60's, however, Bateman rediscovered the power of realism and began to develop the style that would make him one of the world's foremost painters of the wild. In the 70's and early 80's, Bateman's work received serious critical acclaim and attracted an enormous following. His first published collection quickly became the best-selling art book of any Canadian artist.
There was no soul searching required for Robert Bateman; he always knew he was an artist. The natural world piqued his curiosity and formal training simply followed as a matter of course. By adopting realism, Bateman was able to express his deep knowledge and concern for the intricacies found in nature.
Robert Bateman has his own unique style. It cannot be imitated. His compositions are unique, and his concepts are always fresh and unpredictable. There are many who imitate the natural world, but if Bateman had a passion to paint portraits or the ballet, his work would still have the breathtaking beauty of the "Bateman style".
Robert Bateman has had many one-man museum shows throughout North America, including an exhibition at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. His honors, awards, and honorary doctorates are numerous. He was made Officer of the Order of Canada, that country's highest civilian award. He has also been the subject of three books and six films. Bateman also serves as honorary chairman of the Harmony Foundation. His artwork is included in the collections of HRH The Prince Charles, HRH The Prince Philip, the late Princess Grace of Monaco, and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands.
Today, Robert lives on Salt Spring Island in British Columbia. His paintings of nature have been published by Mill Pond Press since 1978, and his artwork is the subject of the following books: The Art of Robert Bateman (Viking Press/Madison, 1981, out of print). The World of Robert Bateman (Random House/Madison Press, 1985), An Artist in Nature (Random House/Madison Press, 1990), Robert Bateman - Natural Worlds (Simon and Schuster/Madison Press, 1996) and a 3 volume Retrospective (Mill Pond Press, 1978-1991. His work is also featured in Wildlife Painting - Techniques of Modern Masters, Volumes I and II. A book of his African art entitled Safari is available for young readers from Little Brown in the U.S. and Penguin in Canada. He can be seen in the video Robert Bateman: The Man Behind the Image.
Bateman's art continues to awe and enchant the viewer as he explores the distinctions in the natural world. His works consistently instruct and enlighten as they impart the naturalist's knowledge, the conservationist's concern, and the artist's vision of nature's magnificence.
Robert Bateman has dedicated his life to preserving the diversity of the natural world and says, "Variety is not just the spice of life, it is the essence of life." His essays can be found at http://www.batemanideas.com.-- Mill Pond Press |
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