Author Description

R.D. Symons was a cultural giant, and this book presents his life and art for a new generation of readers. Featuring an illuminating essay on his life and art practice by esteemed curator and painter Terry Fenton, Robert David Symons, Countryman also features thirty exceptional water colours. Homeschooled in an artistic family in England, Symons emigrated to Canada at the age of sixteen to work as a cowboy in south-west Saskatchewan. As an artist, Symons worked primarily on paper, frequently in watercolours, drawing upon direct observation and a prodigious visual memory. He greatly influenced many contemporary nature writers, including award-winning Saskatchewan authors, Trevor Herriot and Candace Savage. Robert David Symons, Countryman presents a comprehensive view of one of western Canada's most gifted artists. Symons was an artist and writer who was deeply devoted to the Canadian west, throughout his adventurous and well-documented life.