Bears in Water (painting 20” x 16,” frame 23.5” x 19.5”)

This is a vibrant and expressive painting depicting a large mother bear wading through a turquoise river or lake, rendered in a striking lavender and purple palette with bold black markings across her body. Three smaller bear cubs cling to her back, rendered in deeper shades of purple and maroon, suggesting they are hitching a ride across the water. The scene is set against a lush green mountain landscape under a bright blue sky, creating a vivid color contrast. The artist employs a loose, gestural style reminiscent of folk art or expressionism, with thick impasto brushwork that gives the piece energy and texture. The unconventional use of purple for the bears lends the work a dreamlike, almost mythological quality, transforming what is otherwise a tender wildlife scene — a mother carrying her young to safety — into something both whimsical and emotionally resonant.