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Author
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Topic: Alan Bean: Painting Apollo (Alan Bean)
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cspg
Member Posts: 6210
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006
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posted 11-12-2008 10:26 AM
   
Alan Bean, Painting Apollo: First Artist on Another World
by Alan Bean Through a brilliant display of color and craftsmanship, astronaut and artist Alan Bean shares his unique artistic viewpoint to capture humankind's adventures in space. Alan Bean: Painting Apollo features 107 of Alan Bean's luminous paintings dramatically paired with quotes from some of the most brilliant and adventurous minds through history. Apollo flight manager extraordinaire Gene Kranz recalls the historical drama of the era from his eyewitness perspective on the ground; and legendary art critic Donald Kuspit places Bean's paintings in the context of contemporary art and landscape painting. Released to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, Alan Bean: Painting Apollo is a one-of-a-kind study of humanity's near spiritual drive to explore the limits of our imagination and technical capabilities. - Hardcover: 224 pages
- Publisher: Smithsonian Books (July 2009)
- ISBN-10: 1588342646
- ISBN-13: 978-1588342645
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 11-12-2008 02:59 PM
This is the companion book to the National Air and Space Museum exhibit opening on July 16, 2009 by the same title ("Painting Apollo"). The National Air and Space Museum will premiere Painted Apollo: The Art Of A Moonwalker at the museum on the National Mall July 16, 2009 through January 13, 2010 in conjunction with the 40th Anniversary of the first Apollo Moon landings. Painted Apollo represents a major exhibition of paintings by American artist and Apollo 12 astronaut, Alan Bean. The exhibition will be the largest exhibition of Bean's work to date with approximately forty original paintings and drawings. The exhibit will enable viewers to experience a world 238,000 miles away through the eyes of the only artist to walk on the lunar surface. Artifacts from the National Air and Space Museum's collection will supplement the exhibit as three-dimensional references to the lunar equipment depicted in the paintings. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 02-07-2009 10:23 AM
Here is Alan Bean's author photo from Painting Apollo (the cover art has also been added to this thread above): |
Philip
Member Posts: 5952
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 02-08-2009 03:01 AM
Which astronaut figurine is that on the right? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 02-08-2009 10:40 AM
To assist his painting, Bean had a set of custom figures and vehicles made, which he then poses and modifies to match the scene he is trying to capture in his art. There are some wonderful photos of the figures in his other upcoming book, but here's a photo I took at his studio that also shows his Surveyor and lunar module. |
Jay Chladek
Member Posts: 2272
From: Bellevue, NE, USA
Registered: Aug 2007
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posted 02-08-2009 09:51 PM
As a model builder myself, I would LOVE to get a commission from Al Bean to build him something for use in one of his paintings (how about a Skylab?). |
randyc
Member Posts: 779
From: Chandler, AZ USA
Registered: May 2003
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posted 05-21-2009 08:21 AM
Alan Bean's "Painting Apollo: Collector's Edition" includes two giclees: Rendering Honors and Planting Our Colors.I already ordered the book and the giclees. |
AJ
Member Posts: 511
From: Plattsburgh, NY, United States
Registered: Feb 2009
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posted 05-21-2009 08:28 AM
ArtUSA.com is now selling the "A Distant Celebration" diptych with the special edition copy of "Painting Apollo." They're charging $675, which is not too bad for two signed giclees and the signed book. Unfortunately a bit too expensive for me, but I'm sure there are others out there ready to get their hands on these pieces of art. |
Philip
Member Posts: 5952
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 05-21-2009 09:04 AM
Another amazing book, but what's the size of the book? |
randyc
Member Posts: 779
From: Chandler, AZ USA
Registered: May 2003
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posted 05-21-2009 09:21 AM
The book is 11x10 inches, with 224 pages depicting 107 paintings. The giclees are 16x13 inches with an edition size of 225.I bought "A Giant Leap" and the "Painting Apollo" collector's book and giclees from ArtUSA. I highly recommend this dealer, and Jay Brown (the owner) is great. He shipped my "A Giant Leap" the same day that I ordered it, and I received it three days later. He also had the number that I wanted, and is sending me the same number for the other two giclees. |
Sam Que
Member Posts: 180
From: Chicago, IL, United States
Registered: Feb 2009
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posted 05-21-2009 06:12 PM
I ordered my set from Jay at ARTUSA also. Great service. It is my understanding the set will be shipped in July. I was surprised that he is the only dealer selling the set at this time, or at least I have not noticed any other dealers offering the set.
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Spacefest
Member Posts: 1168
From: Tucson, AZ
Registered: Jan 2009
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posted 05-22-2009 07:50 PM
We've got it here. Being Alan's largest dealer, we can get low numbers and artist's proofs. We're going to be having an Alan Bean book signing, also, with both his new books.Editor's note: For more, see Alan Bean's 2009 book signing appearances |
OLDIE
Member Posts: 267
From: Portsmouth, England
Registered: Sep 2004
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posted 05-23-2009 01:51 AM
Can anyone tell me how Alan Bean's new book "Painting Apollo" differs from the excellent book "Apollo: An Eyewitness Account" published in 1998? |
Spacefest
Member Posts: 1168
From: Tucson, AZ
Registered: Jan 2009
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posted 05-23-2009 02:45 PM
The difference between the two Bean books is eleven years of new paintings, new palettes, new ideas, and Pete Conrad's death... |
Philip
Member Posts: 5952
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 05-30-2009 05:25 AM
quote:
Originally posted by Robert Pearlman:
Bean had a set of custom figures and vehicles made...
Okay, does anyone know where those astronaut figurines were made? I want one. |
Spacefest
Member Posts: 1168
From: Tucson, AZ
Registered: Jan 2009
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posted 07-15-2009 05:37 PM
We got our "Painting Apollo" books today (I love the smell of fresh printing). They smell as good as they look. Really elegant, good color, paper; a great coffee table volume. A sure conversation-starter. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 07-15-2009 05:56 PM
Reporters attending today's press preview of Alan Bean's exhibit at the National Air and Space Museum were gifted with signed copies of "Painting Apollo". The new exhibit is stunning (as is the book). |
randyc
Member Posts: 779
From: Chandler, AZ USA
Registered: May 2003
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posted 07-15-2009 08:56 PM
I received the Alan Bean signed "Distant Celebration" giclees and special edition "Painting Apollo" book today. I was fortunate to get no. 20 of Bean's "The Giant Leap" giclee, so I also received no. 20 of "The Distant Celebration" (which is especially appropriate for these three giclees since they commemorate events which occurred on July 20,1969). The giclees and book look great, but I'm disappointed with how the giclees and book are signed. |
set
Member Posts: 44
From: Atlanta, GA
Registered: Oct 2007
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posted 07-16-2009 01:36 PM
I got my set today (no. 34) and I am very pleased with it. I presume that your disappointment lies in the fact that the "Rendering Honors" print is signed in full and numbered, while the "Planting Our Colors" print is initialed only. I'm certainly no expert, but I assume that it was done this way because the two art pieces are really meant to be displayed a unit, not two separate pieces, even though they are mounted separately. Anyway, while it would certainly be great if both were signed in full, I'm happy with it... |
dsenechal
Member Posts: 539
From:
Registered: Dec 2002
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posted 07-16-2009 04:15 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Philip:
Okay, does anyone know where those astronaut figurines were made? I want one.
Here are a couple of pictures: 
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Philip
Member Posts: 5952
From: Brussels, Belgium
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted 08-19-2009 01:31 PM
Well, those are the kind of photos I expected in a small chapter in the "Painting Apollo" book but what a disappointment that only the paintings are shown and not one single photo of Alan Bean in his painting studio, nor some photos of the models and tools he's been using to make the paintings.I also bought Andrew Chaikin's "Mission Control, this is Apollo" which is supposed to be a children's book but in my opinion I should have only bought Chaikin's book. To see Alan Bean's paintings you can go to his website! |
Spacefest
Member Posts: 1168
From: Tucson, AZ
Registered: Jan 2009
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posted 08-19-2009 07:01 PM
There's the back dustjacket photo of Bean's studio, and his excellent website at alanbean.com, and DVD for that stuff. |
AJ
Member Posts: 511
From: Plattsburgh, NY, United States
Registered: Feb 2009
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posted 08-19-2009 08:43 PM
Also, a few such photos originally appeared in "Apollo," his first book. This book is a good companion piece to his exhibit and understandably focuses on the paintings themselves. |
xlsteve
Member Posts: 391
From: Holbrook MA, USA
Registered: Jul 2008
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posted 08-20-2009 07:39 AM
"Painting Apollo" is an exhibition catalog, and as such, I think it fits the bill nicely, and I enjoy it. The essays at the beginning are interesting and insightful, and the stories about each painting are a plus as well.
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tegwilym
Member Posts: 2331
From: Sturgeon Bay, WI
Registered: Jan 2000
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posted 08-20-2009 11:14 AM
I have both the new books (signed too - thanks Kim and Novaspace!). If you really want to see his studio, you need to get his DVD. It's not very long, maybe 1/2 hour but he shows everything how he does it. Really interesting stuff! I showed it at one of my astronomy club meeting a while back. |
davidcwagner
Member Posts: 798
From: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 08-25-2009 08:54 PM
The planets are aligned! Today was Alan Bean day. In the mail today, two Alan Bean signed books from Novaspace, and two Isle of Man Alan Bean signed 1st Day covers. Also in the email today, confirmation of my 1 a.m. purchase of "Armstrong, Aldrin and an American Eagle" giclee.Not a bad day! |
cspg
Member Posts: 6210
From: Geneva, Switzerland
Registered: May 2006
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posted 04-17-2010 07:49 AM
The book will be re-released on July 6. |
Wehaveliftoff
Member Posts: 2343
From:
Registered: Aug 2001
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posted 04-17-2010 10:52 AM
Is it common to re-release a book? Will there be additional items, chapter in this re-release? How will it affect First Editions? |
Spacefest
Member Posts: 1168
From: Tucson, AZ
Registered: Jan 2009
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posted 04-17-2010 12:55 PM
In my experience, re-release of a "space" title is unusual. They did several printings of Gene Cernan's book, but all were on he order of 5000 each. I believe if there are no additions or changes, it will still be a first edition, but the second printing. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 12-06-2016 06:54 PM
Smithsonian Books has announced a limited reprint of 500 copies of Alan Bean's "Alan Bean: Painting Apollo." It should be up and available on Amazon shortly.Update: Now available. |
Buel
Member Posts: 649
From: UK
Registered: Mar 2012
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posted 12-15-2016 02:29 PM
I have the 2009 release version and the condition I would describe as "good." How much would this be worth, please? |
Wehaveliftoff
Member Posts: 2343
From:
Registered: Aug 2001
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posted 12-15-2016 02:42 PM
Half-Price Books (a misnomer, especially if it is signed or a collectible) has one in that condition online for $24 plus shipping and handling. |
fredtrav
Member Posts: 1673
From: Birmingham AL
Registered: Aug 2010
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posted 12-15-2016 03:29 PM
Alibris has one for $15.50 plus shipping. So unless you have a signed one, they are quite reasonable. |
alanh_7
Member Posts: 1252
From: Ajax, Ontario, Canada
Registered: Apr 2008
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posted 12-15-2016 06:03 PM
Just a word on my experience when I bought the first copy of this book. I bought a copy signed by Alan Bean when the book was available on pre-order that coincided with the exhibit of Alan Bean's works at the National Air and Space Museum. When I received my copy of the book it was signed in gold paint pen. It was obvious that they did not let the signature dry before closing the book and a mirror image appeared on the opposite page. I sent an email to the Smithsonian and they agreed to replace my copy if I sent the book via courier back to them. I ended up keeping the original copy (I found another signed copy through another company) and canceled the replacement order with the Smithsonian. About a month later when looking at my credit card bill I found a charge for a second courier fee for the replacement book that I canceled. Moral of the story. Check your orders carefully. |
Wehaveliftoff
Member Posts: 2343
From:
Registered: Aug 2001
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posted 12-16-2016 05:13 PM
Or don't order from the Smithsonian.
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