"Long before I knew from science that there is no fundamental distinction or separation between matter and spirit, I sensed it from my own experience. I realized it more consciously for the first time when I used a macro lens to peer through some tall grasses with my camera." Freeman Patterson is acclaimed as one of the most distinguished photographers of the natural world. His verdant landscapes, sun-drenched deserts, and spectral images of human habitation reach toward us, touch us, and stir our hearts. Embracing Creation is an inspired journey through the renowned artist's creative process, vision, and experience. Curator and art historian Tom Smart's opening essay peels away layers of mystique and reveals the soul of the man and his unique way of seeing, providing for the first time a complete portrayal of Patterson's oeuvre. In his own words, Freeman Patterson candidly reveals the evolution of his creative techniques and the experiences that have shaped both his vocation and his life. For Patterson, there is no separation between mind and matter: life, the mind, and nature are fully conjoined.

Published in conjunction with a major retrospective exhibition organized by the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Embracing Creation gives readers and viewers privileged access to an abundantly intelligent universe as perceived through the lens of one of Canada's most outstanding photographers.