In the history of mankind, only 12 men have ever walked on the moon. Alan Bean was the fourth person to do so. After serving as a Navy jet pilot, he was selected by NASA as part of the Apollo program, and in November 1969, after a flight of 250,000 miles, he realized his boyhood dream as he explored the lunar surface.
By the end of his career as an astronaut in 1975, he had logged more than 10 hours moonwalking. But he didn’t stop there. Bean, who died in 2018, was also a prolific painter, and his dream was to use his artistic eye to recreate the out-of-this-world images he witnessed in space. As an adroit artist, Bean designed an entire collection of colorful lunar landscapes that emphasized his deep sense of awe in the cosmos.
Alan Bean’s exceptional life journey is featured in a new book by Madison-based journalist and children’s book author Dean Robbins. In The Astronaut Who Painted the Moon: The True Story of Alan Bean, readers will learn about Bean’s extraordinary life, journey to the moon through his mind’s eye, and view whimsical recreations of his artwork. This captivating story blends art and science to showcase the electrifying thrill of space travel and the beauty of its otherworldly imagery.
Robbins in the author of award-winning children’s books, including Two Friends: Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass. He will visit Boswell Book Co. at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 4.
