Alan L. Bean
Artist Biography
Of the twelve astronauts to walk on the surface of the Moon, one returned to share his experience through artistic paintings that described his journey, Captain Alan L. Bean. As a former naval officer, aeronautical engineer and NASA test pilot, Captain Bean flew in the 1969 Apollo 12 mission as the Lunar Module Pilot with Commander Pete Conrad. The Module was a two-stage spacecraft that carried two astronauts from lunar orbit to the surface of the Moon and back. Together they completed seven hours of surface research that included lunar documentation, geological collections, atmospheric studies, and color imaging of the terrain. His work has since supported countless scientific studies, future engineering and the astronaut’s own artwork.
While working as a test pilot at Patuxent River, Maryland in the early 1960’s, Captain Bean began drawing and watercolor art classes at a local St. Mary’s College night school program. What started as a hobby became a profession after his retirement as the commander of Space Station Skylab III, in 1981. Devoted to a new career in painting, Captain Bean shared stories of space exploration as he had experienced through critical work as a scientist and the heart of an explorer.
Astronaut Bean’s painting technique was an engineered innovation. He’d apply paint to the surface of readily available aircraft plywood that was soft and retained textured impressions from his bronzed moon boots, lunar tool imprints and bits of used space suit fabric. As the only professional artist fortunate to visit a world that no other had seen, he paid special attention to the accuracy of his subject and composition, right to the precise lighting that occurred at the time of his painted moonscape. Yet, Captain Bean tried to also introduce subtle hues to the scene of an otherwise pale monolithic lunar surface. “I had to figure out a way to add color to the Moon surface image without ruining the art itself.” He later added, “…in the beautiful desolate landscape at the Moon’s ‘Ocean of Storm,’ I want to create fresh color to the surface to share that very rare experience with others”
Artist, engineers and students alike, are today encouraged to take a moon walk through Captain Bean’s detailed paintings of a world that no other has seen and considerately shown through detailed reflections of his personal lunar journey.
Portfolio
