BOOKS BY TIM PHELPS
Nature Mandalas Wonders of the Garden: Life Circles of Biodiversity and Conservancy
From buckeye butterflies to ladybugs, milkweed, and dandelions, Tim Phelps’s mandalas cast an artistic eye on the real and imagined micro-architecture of plants and insects. Vibrant illustrations and an engaging narrative invite the reader to wonder at nature’s seemingly endless variety of forms, from the simple to the complex. Using the graphic and symbolic patterns of mandalas, the artist combines color, texture, and fluidity to tell the story of each organism and the role it plays in a healthy ecosystem. These elegant artworks have been shaped by the artist’s interest in art nouveau and art deco, the works of Charley Harper and Ernst Haeckel, and Victorian ornamental art, Asian art, batik, hot rod flame painting, swirling tie dye, and iconography. By exploring the how, what, and why of garden flora and insects, the book encourages us to look closely at the rich biodiversity in our own backyards.
Hardcover – February 28, 2016
Nature Mandalas Wonders of the Earth, Wind, and Sea: Life Circles of Biodiversity and Conservancy
From common toads and turtles to sea horses, cephalopods, and triggerfish, Tim Phelps’s mandalas cast an artistic eye on the real and imagined micro-architecture of animals. Vibrant illustrations and an engaging narrative invite the reader to wonder at nature’s seemingly endless variety of forms, from the simple to the complex. Using the graphic and symbolic patterns of mandalas, the artist combines color, texture, and fluidity to tell the story of each organism and the role it plays in a healthy ecosystem. These elegant artworks have been shaped by the artist’s interest in art nouveau and art deco, the works of Charley Harper and Ernst Haeckel, and Victorian ornamental art, Asian art, batik, hot rod flame painting, swirling tie dye, and iconography. By exploring the how, what, and why of fauna, the book encourages us to look closely at the rich biodiversity in our own backyards.
Hardcover – February 28, 2016
Garden Life: Nature Mandala Coloring Book
The meditative mandalas in this coloring book celebrate the amazing biodiversity in nature: the myriad shapes and colors found in plants and insects and the varied habitats and ecosystems in which they all live. Enter glorious gardens, sweeping grasslands, and lush tropical forests populated with unusual flora and flying creatures in this riff on the natural world. White spaces in each sketch allow artists to be creative, drawing in their own unique dots, dashes, doodles, stripes, and squiggles. Using a variety of markers, watercolors, or gel pens selectively or in any combination, armchair artists are invited to focus their thoughts and unleash their creativity.
Paperback – April 28, 2017
Animal Life: Nature Mandala Coloring Book
The meditative mandalas in this coloring book celebrate the amazing biodiversity in nature: the myriad shapes and colors found in animals and the varied habitats and ecosystems in which they live. Explore real and imagined specimens that live in treetops, sweeping grasslands, lush tropical forests, shimmering waters, and colorful reefs in this riff on the natural world. White spaces in each sketch allow artists to be creative, drawing in their own unique dots, dashes, doodles, stripes, and squiggles. Using a variety of markers, watercolors, or gel pens selectively or in any combination, armchair artists are invited to focus their thoughts and unleash their creativity.
Paperback – April 28, 2017
Also by Tim Phelps
UP IN FLAMES
What people are saying:
Brent R. Whitaker M.S, D.V.M
Vice President of Biological Programs, National Aquarium
This book is worth reading, viewing, and sharing with others of all ages. Tim is to be commended for meeting the challenge of presenting the science and conservation of plants and animals through his “Life Circles”. He has elegantly captured the signs of our times, but the mandalas presented are timeless. He refers to his mandalas as “Fun Art” and it certainly is. For me, however, each drawing is a reminder how wonderfully simple but complex and exquisite life around us is. Tim’s nature mandalas in this book and their descriptions capture our sense of wonder, and appreciation for beauty, while educating us at the same time.
Guild of Natural Science Illustrators
Critically acclaimed: ”Skillful, elegant drawings of organisms ranging from butterflies and frogs to octopi and eggs are presented…truly pleasurable and will keep viewers returning to their pages for the joy they present in both natural and artistic connections. These lovely volumes are to be savored by anyone who enjoys the interconnection between science and art—with a little fun in between”
Association of Medical Illustrators
Tim’s exquisite and imaginative illustrations of nature mixed with his written observations make for a thoughtful examination of art, biodiversity, and conservation.”
Neil Grauer
for “Hopkins Reader” Hopkins Medicine Magazine
“Phelps combined realism and symbolism in his traditionally and digitally created mandalas. His direct scientific observation and study of the depicted organisms form the representational aspect of each piece. The symbolism comes through the artist’s stylization of some figures and his use of exceptionally vibrant colors. The plants and animals depicted in Phelps’ mesmerizing mandalas are accompanied by his descriptions of their form, and structure, habitat, importance to medicine and science, and role in the crucial conservation mission for which he is an eloquent advocate.”