Patrick Heron was one of the first British artists to embrace abstraction in the 1950s, absorbing and distilling a wide range of influences, particularly those of Matisse and Braque, to create works that convey pure visual sensation. In addition, he also produced a powerful and provocative body of work as a writer, making a forceful case for the importance of contemporary British art in the face of the increasing dominance of the New York art world. This much-needed survey of Heron's life and work, the first since his death in March 1999, examines his close and creative relationship with the landscape and light of Cornwall and his long exploration of the color of color.This book is one of a series that explores the life and work of major artists associated with St. Ives, an artists colony in Cornwall, England.