The Light Fantastic
ARTIST DAVID LANGMEAD
THE WILDLIFE ART OF DAVID LANGMEAD
David Langmead possesses a rare talent forged by classical training and an imagination fired by the African continent. His unique journey has empowered him with a command of landscape and anatomy and, at the height of his talents, he uses both to capture the richly layered beauty of the natural world. Raised on a farm in Zimbabwe, Langmead delighted in his bushveld surroundings. It was there, absorbed in the landscape of granite kopjies and msasa trees, that the young artist developed an intense love for the wild. It was a love based on observation and an affiliation with place. Langmead went on to work as an in-house book illustrator for Longman Zimbabwe before moving to South Africa to study for a Fine Arts degree. He worked for many years in the commercial industry, developing an understanding of excellence and productivity in the trade. Langmead’s ultimate dream however, was to work as a professional wildlife artist, and his life inevitably inclined back toward the draw of the veld. From the wilds of the Karoo, he launches many an expedition in search of the beautiful spirit of the southern African wilderness. His understanding of the light and color of the region is that of a resident long accustomed to nuance. He lives this complexity every day, and thus possesses an advantage over visiting artists from abroad. His perception of atmospheric depth and mastery of color separates him from many aspiring artists. With an enthralling artistic vision, lovingly rendered in the quest for an elusive perfection, David Langmead stands tall among the finest contemporary wildlife and landscape painters of our day. 56000>
9 781935 342229
CALL OF AFRICA’S NATIVE VISIONS GALLERIES
$60.00 ISBN 978-1-935342-22-9
The Light Fantastic THE WILDLIFE ART OF DAVID LANGMEAD
The Light Fantastic T H E W I L D L I F E A R T O F D AV I D L A N G M E A D
The Light Fantastic invites you on a journey into the secret heart of the African bushveld and beyond. Traveler and artist David Langmead has returned time and again to his favorite wilderness areas in passionate pursuit of their sensual beauty. Ever seeking the one painting that encapsulates the experience of place, Langmead has journeyed to the drylands of the Kalahari and the watery jewel of the Okavango. This book is filled with images of his journeys, some of them detailed and intimate, others vast and encompassing. Light remains the primary catalyst for the artwork and many of the paintings celebrate the transient glow of the African dawn or dusk. This book also records his lifelong fascination with the watering points of the African veld, both in its waterholes and rivers. Langmead documents the animals and birds that frequent these waters, whilst celebrating the color and reflection that inevitably appeal to the artist. With a talent that transcends the boundaries of African wildlife, Langmead explores the subtle beauty of the Florida wetlands with equal enthusiasm. His many visits to the Everglades have opened up a new array of painting possibilities and inspired a quest for the quintessential soul of these wetlands. As exhibited in this selection of 150 paintings and in Langmead’s absorbing and enlightening text, The Light Fantastic is a transcendental journey, a 20-year love affair between the artist and the beauty of the natural world. For those who have fallen under the spell of the unspoiled wilderness, and those who yet dream of new journeys, whether they be wildlife enthusiasts or travelers, this is a book to treasure.