*The Secret World of Walter Anderson by Hester Bass (2009) is the story of “the most famous American artist you’ve never heard of.” Walter Anderson was passionate about painting the natural world. He was so passionate that he would row – alone – 12 miles from his home in Ocean Springs, Mississippi to Horn Island. There he would stay for weeks at a time journaling and painting what he saw. This book is beautifully illustrated by E.B.Lewis. On the cover, we see Anderson rowing out to his favorite island. On island, we see him following hogs to find fresh water, eating whatever in the shade of his upturned skiff, and feeding a wild rabbit. Anderson locked a room in his home to prevent anyone from entering. Upon his death, his widow found the room was wall to wall paintings. There are many youtube videos about Walter Anderson. He is a famous artist I’d never heard of.
