0Influenced by the exotic, lush landscapes of his childhood years in Hawaii, Hunt Slonem's richly colored, impressionistic bird paintings are celebrated worldwide. For the first time, Slonem's birds are collected into a single, luxurious volume. In Birds, the Louisiana-born artist pays homage to these remarkable creatures through hundreds of engaging artworks. Dramatic and vivid, Slonem's avian subjects seem unconfined to a flat surface, brimming as they are with texture and movement. 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). The world-renowned artist's vibrantly patterned canvases are a celebration and a paean to birds, sure to entice returning fans and new viewers.