Exhibition story

Wildlife, Alive.

Oxford, Miss --Nature. One World, Two Artists is the work of two men that pour their love of nature into every piece of work. Walking through John Alexander and Walter Anderson’s exhibit at the University of Mississippi’s art museum is less of an art show, and more of a wildlife extravaganza.

If there was ever a way to completely grasp the flora and fauna of the deep south, this is it. Animals in their natural habitats are portrayed in a different aspect with loud contrasting colors that make everyday animals seem like mythical creatures.

Turtles, alligators and a whole spectrum of waterfowl are portrayed so accurately that it feels like they are busting through the canvas into the room. While the two artists are very similar, the difference in their styles is evident when scanning the room.

John Alexander does most of his work on canvas using paint, charcoal and etching to show his side of the wild side. There is a definite tangibility to Alexander’s paintings that Anderson’s paintings do not seem to match. Alexander has a way of adding layers to his work that give them a realistic feel.

Walter Anderson depicts nature primarily with watercolors on anything from canvas to loose leaf paper. While his paintings are more flat and quaint, they have a more realistic look. Larry from Mobile, Alabama was familiar with Walter Anderson before he attended the exhibit.

“I own a piece of Walter Anderson’s work back home and I was very excited to see the rest of his work,” he said. “There is a just a way that he represents nature that makes him unmatched.”

John Alexander a native of Beaumont, Texas earned his MFA in 1970. He started a studio in Houston before moving to New York, where he currently resides. His works can be found in art museums and art collections nationwide.

Walter Anderson, born in New Orleans had the influence of his mother who was also an artist. After going to school in New York and New Orleans, he finished his education at Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. After studying abroad in France, he came back to the United States where he traveled for 18 years painting everything in nature he possibly could. Most of Anderson’s works were stored in a vault in Ocean Springs, Mississippi when Hurricane Katrina came and the majority of them were destroyed. Although some of his art has been salvaged, his legacy is kept in the remains of his work today.

pictured above: There's a Bluebird on My Back, John Alexander.